The Zoid Warrior
by Chibi Halo
Summary: The Zoid Battle Commission needs help dealing with the Backdraft Group so they turn to one Usagi Tsukino. See what happens when the Sailor Senshi live on the Planet Zi as Zoid warriors. A Sailor Moon/Zoids Crossover.
1. The Invisible Cats

The mysterious Lunar Cat had the entire battle commission talking.  When the battle commission heard about the Lunar Cat they knew they had to see what the zoid could do in person.  Usagi was asked to put the Lunar Cat through her paces in front of the Zoid Battle Commission and the massive Ultrasaurus.  And once the battle commission saw what the Lunar Cat was capable of they revised their plans for dealing with the Backdraft Group.  The plan to prevent the Backdraft from taking over the battle commission now included the Lunar Cat.

Usagi soon found herself on the front lines in the battle against the Backdraft Group.  The battle commission had figured a rare zoid like the Lunar Cat would make the perfect secret weapon against the Backdraft.  The pair was soon out scouting the landscape for any signs of illegal Backdraft activity.  The Backdraft had yet to attempt anything.  They had yet to encounter a zoid they were willing to risk everything they owned for.

********

The Blitz team was an average Class A team.  Run by Dr. Steve Toros the Blitz team had four members.  There were the Doc's two children his son Leon and his daughter Leena.  Then there was the son of his best friend Jamie Hemeros and the mysterious Brad Hunter.  Most of the time Leon, Leena, and Brad would be the ones to go into battle with their Zoids and on certain occasions Jamie would stand in for one of them when their was an air opponent.  The Blitz team was good but they needed a miracle if they ever wanted to advance to the higher ranks in Class A.

The Doc, as everyone called him, thought he had that miracle when he was offered a zoid a severely discounted price.  But that so called miracle was quickly turned into a nightmare when the Liger Zero became nothing more than a huge statue gathering dust.  No one on the team could control the Liger Zero when they attempted to pilot the zoid.  And so the Blitz team let a perfectly good zoid sit in the hanger of the Toros ranch.  The white zoid remained a great mystery waiting for the right pilot to come along and unlock its hidden potential.

The day the Blitz team and the Liger Zero had been waiting for came when a zoid parts salvager accidentally interrupted a battle the Blitz team was in against the Tigers team.  Bit Cloud had wandered onto the battlefield hoping to get some good parts to sell for cash when the battle was over.  But instead of getting the parts that he wanted Bit's cloaked truck was too close to the action and ended up tripping Leon's Shield Liger causing damage to the zoid and to Leon.  Leon was lucky to walk away with a lump on his head and a sprained shoulder and wrist as well as a few minor cuts and bruises.

Bit had tried to apologize for what had happened but when he went to the Toros ranch he was captured and met face to face with Leena's very short temper.  After being tied up and fed dinner Bit was left in the hanger of the ranch alone with the zoids.  And that's when it happened.  That's when Bit Cloud met the Liger Zero.  The zoid had reached out to Bit and invited him inside his cockpit.  At first Bit didn't know what to make of it but once he was inside the zoid Bit felt as though he had a connection with Liger.  Bit could swear he could actually hear the Liger Zero speak to him.

Bit soon found himself in the middle of a battle once again and after helping the handicapped Blitz team to a win against the Tigers team.  Leon watched the battle from his father's Hovercargo and knew there was something special about both Bit and the Liger Zero.  And in order to test that theory Leon let Bit take his place against one of the best long-range shooters.  Naomi Fluegle, the Red Comet, and her red Gunsniper were considered the best in long range shooting.  No one ever knew where Naomi placed herself during a battle until they were hit by one of her shots from her tail gun.  No one had been able to defeat her in battle that is until she met up with one Bit Cloud.  Bit was the only person to ever defeat Naomi.

After the win against the Fluegle team Leon decided to go it alone and find his own partner like the Liger Zero.  Leon had heard Bit's tales of being on his own and his dream of finding the perfect zoid partner and outfitting it with the best parts he could find.  Leon wanted that for himself.  He knew if he were to be the beat warrior he could be he needed to be on his own and experience the world.  And with that Leon Toros left the Blitz team

Bit thought things couldn't get any better.  After meeting up with Harry Champ a rich spoiled warrior who thought money could buy him the perfect team Bit thought nothing could go wrong.  That was until the day he met head on with Leena's temper.  It was on that day that the Blitz team was formally introduced to the Backdraft Group.

********

Usagi was on her own now.  Her only companions during her mission to find the Backdraft Group were Luna, Artimes, and her zoid the Lunar Cat.  Usagi had been following a lead on the Backdraft Group's premier team the Gold team.  The Gold team had been involved in some suspicious battles during recent months and the battle commission wanted them followed.  The Gold team's main zoid was the Hellcat.  The Gold team had three Hellcats in their possession and every one of them had stealth capabilities.  This was going to be the first real test for the Lunar Cat.

The valiant little group had been keeping out of sight ever since they spotted the Gold team's Whale King transport.  The Gold tam hadn't interfered in any battles yet but they were involved in stealing zoids and illegally registering them to the Backdraft Group.  And on this day they were doing just that.  The Hellcats and their leader had come across a Heldigunner and a Godos that appeared to had been damaged in battle.  But Usagi knew the truth.  The Gold team had used a large electro ball to take out the two zoids and now they were going to add them to their vast collection of zoids.

"Those four are up to no good guys.  Did you see the size of that ball they used in those zoids?" Usagi said assessing the situation.

"We should hang low and see how the situation plays itself out." Luna suggested.

"Right." Usagi replied.

********

Bit had been out doing what he did best scavenging for parts and came back to the ranch tired and dirty.  All he ever wanted to do was take a long hot shower.  Bit had returned to the ranch and was met by Jamie in the hanger.

"So Bit how did it go out there?" Jamie asked him.

"Not good.  I've gone over the same section of the desert three times now.  All the best parts are gone.  I'm going to have to change locations if I'm ever going to find any good parts." Bit said.

"Doc called a meeting about our next opponents.  He wanted me to tell him when you got back.  Everyone else is waiting for you in the lounge." Jamie informed him.

With that Bit and Jamie went into the lounge and saw Brad spread out on the sectional.  Brad saw Bit enter the room and greeted him in the usual way.

"So Bit you finally decide to grace us with your presence." Brad said.

"Where are the Doc and Leena?" Jamie wanted to know.

"They got tired of waiting." Brad told him.

Bit just shrugged his shoulders and began pulling off his shirt.  Brad gave the newbie a look that said he really didn't care what Bit did.

"Well if they're not here then they can just wait a few minutes while I go take a shower." Bit announced as he pulled off his shoes and socks and pants.

Brad looked at Bit as though he had a death wish when he mentioned he was going to take a shower.  Picking up Bit's shirt Jamie sighed as Brad tried to warn the newbie.

"Bit I don't think you should go in there." Brad said.

"You don't have to fold my clothes because they got real dirty out there." Bit told Jamie.

"But Bit..." Brad warned him once more.

Bit didn't listen to Brad and walked into the bathroom only to come face to face with Leena and her dangerous temper.

"Bit!" Leena yelled at him from the bathroom.

"Honest Leena I didn't know you were in there." Bit tried to explain.

"Looks like someone didn't check the schedule again." Jamie said with a sigh as he put the now folded clothes on the couch.

"I tried to tell him." Brad commented.

Things began to heat up when Bit burst out of the bathroom with only his towel wrapped around his waist.  A few short moments later Leena came rushing out after him in her robe hoisting the bathtub over her head.  Leena had lost control of her temper once again.

"You get back here Bit Cloud!" Leena yelled as she chucked the tub out the door of the lounge.

"Whoa she's mad." Brad commented before going back to sleep on the couch.

With that said Leena bolted out the door still dressed in her robe to go after Bit.

********

The Zoid Warrior

Episode Two: The Invisible Cats

********

Bit had commandeered one of the Jeeps in the hanger and tried to escape from Leena's wrath.  But Leena had commandeered Jamie's Pteras and was currently firing on Bit.  The Pteras connected with the Jeep and blew it up.  The only thing other than then Bit that survived the attack was the towel around his waist, which popped up into the air and floated down to the ground.  With a satisfied laugh Leena decided to burn off some steam and go for a quick flight while Bit returned to the ranch.

Usagi had seen what had happened and figured the pilot of the Pteras had to be pretty mad at the towel-wearing driver of the Jeep to blow it up.  The driver of the Jeep, after retrieving his towel, trudged back in the direction he came from.  Usagi figured the pilot of the Pteras would do the same but the zoid continued to head in the direction of the Gold team.  Nervously Usagi watched the scene unfold itself.

As Leena continued on her flight the sun struck something metallic.  The female warrior decided to check it out and was greeted by the sight of a group of men working on two zoids.  Leena didn't realize she was being watched off in the distance her only concern was the men and the two zoids.

"That's a Godos and a Heldigunner down there." Leena commented.

Down below the leader of the group a man with very odd shaped sunglasses named Major Pulta saw the Pteras and wanted it for their own.

"Gold team, take your Hellcats in stealth mode and shoot down that Pteras and bring it to me." Pulta ordered his men.

The three members of the Gold team got into their Hellcats and went into stealth mode.  Soon the invisible zoids were firing on the Pteras managing to bring it down.  From her vantage point Usagi was too far away to do anything fast enough to stop them from taking the Pteras and its pilot.  The young zoid warrior decided to follow the Gold team and wait to make any sort of move.

"Okay girl we're going to have to be real quiet and not cause any unwanted attention." Usagi said.

The Lunar Cat purred in response letting Usagi know she would listen to her before heading off.

********

The veteran members of the Blitz team knew Leena would sometimes go and blow off some steam.  But it was unlike her to be gone for the amount of time she was.  And not only was Leena gone but the Pteras was gone as well.  Jamie was not taking things very well because he cherished his zoid.

"This isn't like Leena to be gone for this long." Doc said going into worried father mode.

"Leena likes to go out and blow off some steam but I don't think she's done something like this." Brad commented filling Bit in.

The Blitz team was about to go out and look for Leena and the Pteras when an incoming transmission came over the view screen.  Dr. Toros pressed a button on the command console and soon the members of the Blitz team were face to face with Major Pulta of the Gold team.  The man in the odd sunglasses was sitting behind a desk with his gloved hands intertwined and resting on the desktop.

"Greetings Blitz team, allow me to introduce myself.  I am Major Pulta of the Backdraft Group's Gold team.  I have something in my possession that just might interest you.  You see we came across one of your teammates.  You can have her back only if you agree to battle against the Gold team and win." Pulta told the shocked Blitz team.

Dr. Toros suddenly went from being a worried parent to flat out irate.  His face got a hard look to it and he glared at Major Pulta.  Jamie on the other hand began worrying about his zoid.

"My poor Pteras.  Oh my poor Pteras.  My poor, poor Pteras." Jamie said crying over his missing zoid in a corner of the command room.

"I won't agree to any battles until I see my daughter." Doc demanded.

"That's only fair." Pulta said, "Bring the prisoner to me." He told a subordinate.

With that the Blitz team was given the insult of all insults and put on hold with a please wait graphic on the view screen.

"The Backdraft Group who are they?" Bit wondered taking advantage of the lull.

"They're an organization that cheats during zoid battles in order to win." Brad explained.

"That sure sounds dishonest." Bit commented.

The graphic on the screen was soon replaced with the sight of a very messed up looking Pulta who didn't seem very happy.

"As you can see we're having a few minor problems." Pulta said as the sound of Leena's yelling and screaming could be heard in the background.

"Alright what are your conditions?" Doc demanded to know.

"Simple the battle will be three on three no rules.   You win the girl goes free.  We win and we get to keep the zoid we found with her and the girl." Pulta said.

"We'll do it." Doc told him.

Bit had never seen the Doc look so angry before.  His face had a hard edge to it and if looks could kill they would.  Jamie on the other hand just let out another moan over his missing zoid.

"Count me out." Brad said, "I don't fight in a battle without any prize money."

"But this is Leena we're talking about." Bit reasoned with him.

********

Leena was locked up tight in one of the containment cells on the Whale King.  Major Pulta had ordered his troops to keep a watch over Leena so she wouldn't try and escape from the cell.  The short-tempered zoid warrior didn't exactly like the idea of being caged up and began screaming and yelling to be let out of the cell.  And when plan old lungpower didn't seem to work Leena resorted to kicking and pounding on the cell door.

"Quiet in there!" the guard yelled through the door.

"Let me out of here!" Leena yelled as she continued to pound on the door.

The only thing Leena's pounding and kicking accomplished was a few dents in the door.  And after ten solid minutes of nothing but kicking, screaming, and pounding Leena stopped due to exhaustion and decided to come up with a new game plan.  One way or another Leena was going to break out.

********

Usagi sat in front of the campfire mentally beating herself up for not doing something about the Gold team earlier that day.  She let them get away with stealing a zoid and taking its pilot hostage.  There was no telling what the Gold team leader Major Pulta would do to the hostage.  And as she sat in front of the fire Usagi let out a sigh and poked at the logs with a long stick.

"I blew it out there guys." Usagi said to the cats.

"Usagi you didn't know they would do something like that.  Given the situation I'd say you did the right thing." Luna told her.

"Luna's right Usagi you did do the right thing.  It takes guts to do what you did.  Had you tried to do something you could have made the situation even worse.  Besides we can always bust in there and rescue that pilot in the morning." Artimes added.

"I guess so but this is the first time I've ever had to deal with someone from the Backdraft Group.  Heck this will be the first battle I ever get myself into to.  I don't know if I can do it." Usagi said.

With that the Lunar Cat let out a low soft growl and her eyes began to glow.  Usagi looked up at her partner and knew what the zoid was trying to tell her.

"As long as you believe in yourself and your skills as a pilot you can do anything.  Besides I believe in you." Usagi heard the Lunar Cat say in her head.

Looking up at the Cat Usagi got a smile on her face and began to feel better about the situation.

"You're right Cat I just need to believe in myself more." Usagi said.

********

The Blitz team had spent the night preparing for the upcoming battle against the Gold team.  And since the Pteras was currently in the possession of the Gold team Jamie was resigned to piloting Leena's zoid the Dibison.  After recovering from his fit over his missing zoid and the fact that Leena took the Pteras without telling him Jamie began working on a strategy for the battle and familiarizing himself with the controls of the Dibison.  With the zoids loaded into the Hovercargo the Blitz team was ready to head out to the coordinates of the upcoming battle.

The Hovercargo arrived at the sight of the battle an area of desert with a rock formation that overlooked a large barren expanse perfect for holding zoid battles.  As the remaining members of the Blitz team went to mobilize the zoids the Whale King positioned itself for the battle, within range but far enough away so it would not be damaged.  Bit, Jamie, and Brad exited the Hovercargo one by one and when all three zoids were out Brad made for the rock formation that overlooked the battlefield.  Bit saw Brad leaving and radioed him over the com system.

"Where are you going?" Bit wanted to know.

"I told you I don't take part in a battle unless there's prize money involved." Brad replied before terminating the connection.

With that Bit shrugged off Brad's comment and got his mind back on the battle that was about to take place in a few moments.

********

Usagi woke to the sounds of the Whale King leaving its current location.  Grabbing the cats she hopped into the Lunar Cat and set off following the Whale King.  If they were going to rescue the pilot of the downed Pteras then they had to make their move soon before it became too late.  Staying well far back so as not to be spotted but not too far back that they couldn't see the Whale King Usagi and the Lunar Cat continued to follow the Whale King out of the forest and onto the vast deserts.  Usagi watched as the Whale King stopped and positioned itself a good distance from a large blue cargo ship.

Looking over the area where the Whale King had stopped Usagi saw an out of the way rock formation overlooking the entire area between the Whale King and the cargo ship.  As she looked for a way to get to the rock formation unnoticed Usagi saw three zoids leave the cargo ship.  One of the zoids broke away from the other two and headed in the direction of the rock formation.  Usagi figured the pilot wasn't going to be taking part in the battle between the Hellcats and the team from the cargo ship.  Keeping well out of sight Usagi went to join the pilot of the blue Command Wolf on the rock face to observe the battle that was about to take place.

********

Brad stood by his earlier decision to not get involved in an unsanctioned battle.  The Doc had come to Brad the night before with an interesting proposition in order to get the pilot of the Command Wolf to partake in the battle.  He figured since Brad didn't take part in battles where no prize money was offered he would give him Bit's share of the prize money from their next win.  It was only fair since Bit was partially responsible for Leena's capture by the Gold team.  Brad was tempted to take the Doc up on his offer but he decided to stick by his principles.  The Doc however, kept the offer on the table with the promise that Brad would get the prize money the moment he stepped into the battle.

Brad knew if he was forced to help Bit and Jamie out during the battle he could do so with a clear conscience.  The Doc's offer would be considered accepted the moment the Command Wolf stepped onto the area designated for the battle.  It didn't matter at what point in the battle it occurred as long as the Command Wolf was on the battlefield during the battle.  And so Brad stopped the Command Wolf on the rock face and got out to watch the battle.

As Brad got out of the Command Wolf on the rock face overlooking the battlefield a zoid joined him on the rock face.  Brad looked behind himself to see a white zoid he had never seen before.  The zoid stopped next to the Command Wolf and a young blonde woman hopped out of the cockpit.  She was wearing a pink outfit that consisted of a cropped sleeveless Chinese styled shirt and a pair of hip hugging shorts with pink leather riding styled boots and on her head was a wireless headset radio.  The girl walked over to where Brad was and used a pair of compact high-powered binoculars to scan the area.

"No activity from the Whale King yet guys." The girl said into her headset.

"What are you looking for?" Brad wondered.

"Two things really Hellcats and an opening so I can make my move." She told him.

Brad watched the girl for a moment before turning his attention back to the battlefield.  It was then he saw the three Hellcats leave the Whale King.  The three zoids lined up facing the Liger Zero and the Dibison.  The two teams waited for a moment when a flash of light appeared in the sky.  Soon a large cloud of dust indicating the landing of a judge capsule appeared on the landscape.  The girl turned her attention from the Hellcats to the judge capsule to see what battle mode had been agreed on.  When the dust had settled the girl let out a gasp before growling in anger.

"What's going on out there?" Brad asked her.

"That judge is not legit.  It's a knockoff of an official judge sent by the commission." She told him, "Somehow the Backdraft was able to produce their own judges."

"The Backdraft sent that judge?  I knew they cheated during battles but I didn't think they were capable of doing something like this." Brad said.

"Guys we have Hellcats and a possible Backdraft controlled black judge on the battlefield.  This battle may be legit but then again it just might not be.  I suggest we wait and see what happens before doing anything." She said into her headset.

Brad looked over at the girl wondering why she was really there and what she was going to do once that opening she mentioned had appeared.  Knowing that might be a while before it appeared Brad decided to engage in some small talk and find out who the blonde really was.

"So do you have a name?" Brad asked her.

"The name's Usagi and you?" the girl replied picking up on what Brad was doing.

"I'm Brad." Brad said noticing Usagi hadn't taken her eyes off the battlefield.

Usagi continued to watch the battlefield and the judge for a while before noticing something happen that didn't normally take place in a zoid battle.

"What no battle mode?!" Usagi yelled out after watching the judge for a bit.

"What do you mean no battle mode?" Brad wondered a bit curious.

"The display on the head of the judge usually registers a number for the battle mode and I saw no number.  That means there is no battle mode.  Those two zoids could be in a lot of danger." Usagi explained to Brad.

********

Bit and Jamie were waiting for the battle to get underway and they thought just that when a judge capsule came crashing onto the landscape.  The two warriors thought the capsule was sent by the battle commission but when it emerged from the ground what they saw wasn't the usual white judges they were used to seeing.  Instead they saw a black judge appear when the capsule opened.  The judge acted like all other judges and scanned the area that would be used for the battle.

"The area within a seven mile radius is a designated zoid battlefield.  The Blitz team vs. the Gold team.  Battle mode…none." The judge sneered just before crossing its arms, "Ready, fight!"

With that the judge threw out its arms to signal the start of the battle.  The three members of the Gold team immediately activated the cloaking devices and became virtually impossible to detect.

"What the…?" Bit said when he saw the zoids vanish from sight.

Jamie figured if he kept firing the weapons of the Dibison he would eventually hit one of the three invisible zoids.  Carefully firing off round after round of ammunition Jamie came up empty.  The Hellcats were able to evade every single shot sent their way.  Bit had also tried to fire upon the Hellcats using his recently added guns on the Liger's underbelly and also came up empty handed.  Frustrated Bit tried to make a break for it and run to the Hovercargo for more ammunition but as he ran closer to the boundaries of the battlefield he received quite the shock of his life when he ran into an energy barrier.

"Oh did I fail to mention I put up an energy field around the perimeter of the entire battlefield." Major Pulta informed the Blitz team over the radio system.

"No fair!" Bit complained.

"Who said I was going to be fair." Pulta replied.

********

At the same time the battle was getting underway Leena was trying to figure out a way to escape from her cell inside the belly of the massive Whale King.  All night long Leena had been yelling and complaining from within her cell.  The guards had treated her well and stood watch over the temperamental zoid pilot.  Some of them even began wishing they could be rid of her as the night went on.  It was a long night for both captor and captive as Leena continued to pound and bang on the door to her cell.

The guard assigned to watch Leena during the morning hours had heard about her explosive temper from his counterparts and knew he would have an easy assignment.  As long as Leena continued to gripe and complain and pound on the door everything would be okay.  But after a few minutes of watching her cell things began to get too quiet.  The guard knew something was wrong and opened the door to the cell to investigate.  Upon opening the door the guard was greeted with the sight of an empty cell.

"How did she get out?" he wanted to know.

The guard was soon given the answer to his question when the door to the cell slowly creaked closed enough to reveal the scariest sight he would ever see for quite some time, an angry Leena.  The female zoid warrior had a dark expression on her face and used her anger to help her knock out the guard.  With guard down for the count Leena borrowed his uniform and tried to make her escape.

********

Usagi and Brad watched as the battle got underway.  The moment the Backdraft judge signaled the start of the battle they saw the three Hellcats activate their cloaking devices and disappear into the landscape.  Brad had never seen anything like the cloaking device the Hellcats had before the battle.  Usagi, having witnessed the Pteras go down, began wondering how the Dibison and the white Liger type zoid were going to handle their invisible opponents.  Usagi split her attention between the Whale King and the battle taking place below.  It looked as though she were waiting for something to happen.

"Those zoids just went invisible." Brad said.

"Those Hellcats are equipped with a stealth cloaking system.  That Dibison and that white Liger are going to have one heck of time against them." Usagi told him.

"I just hope Bit and Jamie can pull it off." Brad thought aloud remembering the Doc's offer.

Usagi while still keeping her eyes on the battlefield saw the Liger run into an energy barrier.  She immediately radioed the cats.

"The Hellcats have gone stealth and looks like there's an energy barrier around the battlefield.  Be prepared to move guys." Usagi said into her headset.

With that the Lunar Cat's eyes glowed blue as she waited for Usagi's signal to move out while Brad watched with hard eyes.

********

Bit and Jamie were having a hard time trying to locate the Hellcats.  They had tried everything they could think of to hit them with their artillery but had failed miserably.  Jamie decided to take a step back from the action and give the battlefield a good once over.  That's when he noticed the invisible Hellcats were leaving behind tracks in the sand.  Maybe just maybe they could use the tracks to locate the Hellcats.  Jamie imputed the information into the computer of the Dibison so he could relay the info to Bit.

"Bit the Hellcats are leaving tracks in the sand." Jamie called over the radio, "If you use the data I've gathered you should be able to find them.  I'll send you what I have."

With that Jamie uploaded the data he collected from the battlefield to the Liger Zero's computer.  Bit received the information and quickly put it good use.  Almost immediately Bit found one of the three cloaked Hellcats and put his signature move into action.

"Okay Liger let's take him out." Bit said, "Strike Laser Claw!"

The Liger Zero deployed his thrusters and energized his claws as he raced towards the invisible Hellcat.  In one leap the Liger thrust his energized claws down on the spot where the Hellcat would be and not knocked out cloaking device but knocked out the zoid as well.

"Alright!  One down and two to go!" Bit cried out enthusiastically.

********

Major Pulta was furious.  Somehow the Blitz team was able to take out one of the Gold team's hellcats with just two zoids.  This was not looking good for the Gold team at all.  If they were going to win this battle they would have to use every dirty trick in the book to take out the two zoids.  And Pulta knew if anything were going to get done he would have to do it himself.

"Gomez, prepare my Saber Tiger for battle.  Looks like I'm going to have to deal with the Blitz team myself." Pulta ordered one of his subordinates over the vid system.

"Yes sir Major Pulta sir." Gomez replied with a salute.

With that Pulta headed down to the Whale King's hanger not before giving his men one final command before leaving.

"Send out our ultimate weapon while I head into battle." Pulta said.

"Yes sir." One of the men on the command deck replied.

The nose of the Whale King opened and a large black ball with enormous gray electrodes landed on the battlefield and headed towards the Blitz team.  A few moments later Major Pulta followed in his black and red Saber Tiger.

********

Usagi saw the ball exit the nose of the Whale King and knew what was going to happen.  The Gold team had used the ball before to take out zoids and steal them.  The large ball was capable of not only knocking down a zoid but also frying the electrical system of a zoid as well with its large electrodes.  Usagi knew the Dibison and the white Liger were in major danger.  She had to do something and fast.

"Kuso!  They sent out their electro ball onto the battlefield.  If I don't get down there fast those two zoids are gonna get fried." Usagi told Brad.

"I'm sure those two can handle it." Brad replied as he continued to watch the battle.

"You can stand here and do nothing but I'm going to do something about it." Usagi called over her shoulder as she ran for her zoid.

Brad thought about what Usagi had said.  Technically the Blitz team was supposed to have another registered warrior on the battlefield so he could go down there and help out Bit and Jamie.  But he was going to stick by his principles and only fight in legitimate sanctioned battles and this just wasn't one of them.  No prize money no battle it was as simple as that.

"Guys we're moving out.  The Gold team just set out their electro ball." Usagi said into her headset just before she jumped into the waiting cockpit of the Lunar Cat.

Having Luna and Artimes in the cockpit of the Lunar Cat was a major plus.  The two cats were able to activate the zoid while Usagi made her way to the Lunar Cat.  Once inside the cockpit Usagi strapped herself in and headed off to deal with the electro ball sent by the Gold team.

********

Jamie watched as Bit put the information he had given his teammate to good use and took down one of the Gold team's Hellcats.  But the distraction from watching his teammate in action became costly because Jamie didn't see the large black ball heading straight for him.  The ball connected with the Dibison and knocked it out of commission.  The computer display read Command System Freeze.

"Oh no!" Jamie moaned.

The ball was long from being finished.  After dealing with Jamie and the Dibison the electro ball then headed for Bit and the Liger Zero.  The electro ball headed towards Bit and the newbie took off in the direction of a nearby cliff on the other side of the battlefield.  Bit was prepared to bound off the cliff and let the ball either get destroyed or get lodged in the side of the cliff.  But before he could execute his plan a white blur came racing between Liger and the electro ball.  The blur revealed itself to be a white zoid.  Two panels on either side of the zoid opened and two disks of energy slammed into the electro ball turning it into a pile of dust.  Bit was thankful for the extra help and headed back into the battle.

The two remaining Hellcats began to fire on Bit the moment he returned to the battle at hand.  The young zoid warrior tried to do all he could to avoid being hit by the cannons on the back of the Hellcats.  Bit didn't have time to think about his mysterious savior.

********

The Doc watched the battle unfold from within the Hovercargo.  He had hoped Brad would take him up on his offer and join in the battle but it looked like the mercenary wasn't going to.  Things weren't looking to good for the Blitz team.  Sure they were able to take out one of the Hellcats but the moment they did the Gold team's Whale King sent out some type of large ball that took out the Dibison.  The ball was then about to take out the Liger Zero but someone or something stepped in and fired off twin energy disks from what appeared to be a white Lightning Saix destroying the ball and allowing bit to return to the battle.  It was at that point the Doc saw the extra zoid taking part in the battle for the Gold team.  Even though the white zoid had assisted Bit it didn't follow him into the battle unlike the black Saber Tiger.  The Doc was livid and planned on taking it up with the judge.

"I demand you call off this battle judge!  I count four zoids out there for the Gold team!" Dr. Toros yelled at the Dark Judge.

"Sorry they can have as many zoids as they want.  Rules are rules and I make the rules." The judge sneered back at him.

With that the judge broke the link in the transmission angering the Doc who pounded on the command console in anger and frustration.

"Damn!" he yelled as he vented his frustrations.

********

Bit was under heavy fire from the two operational members of the Gold team.  Brad watched as the newbie tried to get away from his invisible opponents and the new arrival on the battlefield.  As the Liger Zero avoided shot after shot Brad remembered what both the Doc and Usagi had said to him.  Usagi was willing to go out and risk her life for someone she didn't even know.  And the offer the Doc had made the night before was still valid and on the table.  And so with a heavy sigh Brad climbed into the cockpit of his Command Wolf and headed off to the battle.

Using everything he knew and the information he gathered from watching the battle Brad fired his rear-mounted cannons at one of the unseen Hellcats making a direct hit with it.

"Nice to see you Brad." Bit said over the vid link.

"We're not out the water yet Bit." Brad replied as he was about to fire on the second Hellcat.

But before Brad was able to make his second shot Usagi showed up in her zoid and sent a couple of well placed energy disks towards the Hellcat and disabled its stealth system.

"Thanks for the backup but aren't you taking a big risk interfering like this?" Bit said to Usagi.

"Hey I didn't see any battle mode and it's more than likely the judge is crooked so one more zoid on the battlefield isn't going to hurt anything." Usagi replied.

"Bit and I will handle that fourth zoid you get that last Hellcat." Brad suggested working out a quick plan of attack.

"Okay then what are we waiting for." Bit said.

********

The entire Whale King was on alert when it was reported Leena had escaped from her cell.  The female zoid warrior ran like heck trying to avoid being seen or caught by the troops on the Whale King.  And as she headed down one of the corridors on the Whale King Leena tried to figure a way off the Whale King.  Finding herself in the hanger of the Whale King Leena saw the perfect way to escape from the Gold team.  There sitting in the hanger was Jamie's Pteras.

"Is this my lucky day or what." Leena commented.

Climbing inside the zoid Leena strapped herself in and activated the zoid's weapons creating a makeshift door in the hanger.  Leena then made a hasty retreat out of the Whale King but not before she was noticed by the Gold team support troops.

As Leena burst out of the Whale King the cannons on the massive airborne transport ship began firing upon the Pteras in an attempt to bring it down.  And as she made her way back to the Hovercargo Leena began laughing in triumph.  She would soon be home free.

********

While Usagi used the quick speed of Lunar Cat to take out the last of the Hellcats Brad began firing on the invisible Saber Tiger.  Brad's shots seemed to be way off as they did nothing to make contact with the stealth zoid.  Bit saw the errant shots and called his teammate over the vid link.

"Some shot you are Brad.  You completely missed the guy." Bit said.

"Maybe he didn't need to connect with the zoid.  Take a look at the dust he kicked up." Usagi said trying to get Bit to see what Brad was doing.

Bit took a look at the cloud of dust Brad's shots kicked up and saw the outline of the Saber Tiger.  Bit knew he would be able to take out the zoid with no problems.

"Okay Liger, do your stuff!" Bit told his partner, "Strike Laser Claw!"

With that the Liger once again deployed his boosters and energized his claws.  Leaping into the air the Liger brought down one of his claws and took out the Saber Tiger.  And with the Saber Tiger down a horn sounded from the judge capsule signaling the end of the battle.  Reluctantly with a heavy sigh the Dark Judge made his final decision.

"Battle over.  The winner is…the Blitz team." He said as he lifted his blue arm into the air.

********

From a secret location a man only known as the Count the leader of the Backdraft Group watched the replay of the battle between the Blitz team and their own Gold team.  The Count watched as two white zoids seemed to have no problems with the electro ball and the zoids in the Gold team.  Both zoids possessed great speed and maneuverability.  And while one was able to take out the cloaked Saber Tiger with no problem the other zoid was able to disable the stealth system on one of Hellcats and take down the electro ball with one shot a piece.

"Could each of those zoids actually be an Ultimate X?" the Count wondered.

********

Usagi and the cats watched as the Hovercargo left the battlefield.  She didn't want to say it during the battle but Usagi had actually felt something from the Liger.  It almost seemed as if he was alive just like the Lunar Cat.  The white zoid possessed amazing speed and agility and Usagi knew if the Backdraft Group noticed it they would more than likely go after the Liger in an attempt to steal him away from the Blitz team and his pilot.  The Blitz team also intrigued Usagi.  She wondered if she would ever run into them again and if so would she meet the pilot of the mysterious white Liger.

"We'll meet again some day Blitz team I just know it." Usagi said.

********

The Blitz team sat around the lounge in the Hovercargo reveling in their latest victory minus Jamie.  Bit was glad Brad had actually listened to his heart instead of his wallet and helped him out in the battle.  He was also grateful for the assistance of the mysterious white zoid and its pilot.  Dr. Toros was glad to have his daughter back safe and sound while Leena was glad to be out of the cell she was in.

"Hey Brad weren't you the one who told me you don't fight unless there's prize money to be won.  Then what were you doing out there today?  Looks like you couldn't stand seeing your teammates being outnumbered." Bit teased.

"Actually the Doc promised me your share of the prize money from our next victory." Brad said half getting back at Bit and half reminding the Doc of his promise.

"What?  How come I wasn't told any of this?" Bit wanted to know.

"Well, it was the only way I could get Brad to fight in the battle and besides you are partly to blame for all of this." The Doc said, "Oh and Leena I promised your share to Jamie to cover the cost of all the damage done to the Pteras."

"Huh?  What did I do?" Leena asked totally clueless.

"As if she didn't know." Brad commented.

In the hanger of the Hovercargo Jamie stood dumbfounded as he saw the damage to his beloved Pteras.  The poor zoid had a lot of bullet hole damage on it from Leena's escape.

********

Yeah episode two is finished!  And as they say the plot thickens.  First of all I want to thank all of you who reviewed my story so quickly.  I think those were the fastest first four reviews I had ever received.  I would also like to thank the proprietors of the following Zoids related sites Channel Zi, Anime Admirer's Zoids Plus, and Zoids 35.  These sites not only have info on the Zoids model figures but they also have info on the Zoids series showing on Cartoon Network.  Channel Zi has more model figure info and the other two have more in depth anime info and all three are pretty well up to date on their news concerning the Zoids world.

Now you're probably wondering about a timeline for my story.  Throw out everything you know about Sailor Moon and consider this an AU for that series.  For Zoids I'm starting at episode four and working my way up from there.  I'll more than likely concentrate on the episodes where the Backdraft Group was involved as well as create a few new stories dealing with the battle commission, the Sol team, and the Moon Corporation and the four zoids currently in production.  As you may have noticed in episode one the Sol team consists of the Outer Senshi.  And to answer your question yes the Inner Senshi will be receiving the elemental zoids.  Just match up Senshi with zoid attacks and you know who will receive what zoid.  That will most likely take place within the next few episodes.

If you want a good picture of the zoids mentioned in the series along with a description of what they can do then I'd suggest keeping Channel Zi open to the New Japanese Zoids page while you read this story.  I refer to a lot of different zoids when describing the new zoids in the series and sometimes it helps to have a visual reference of what I'm talking about.  Plus they know what they're talking about.

Okay so I know this episode was long but I needed to properly introduce the Blitz team.  We need a little background on our favorite zoid team.  As you can see Leena has quite the temper and Bit can be a bit of a space cadet when it comes to listening to others.  Now you didn't quite see it in this episode but Leena's dad the Doc is quite the comic relief in the series.  That will most definitely pop up when he sees the Lunar Cat up close and personal for the first time.  As for Brad he's a battle for money only kind of guy so it will be pretty hard to convince him otherwise.  And like Hotaru Jamie is the tactical officer of the group but he will participate in a battle every now and again when needed.  I am planning on having Usagi become romantically involved with a certain cocky Liger pilot on the Blitz team which will make things interesting so I hope I don't upset the purists out there but there will be no Mamoru sorry guys.

Some of you have been wondering about the other Sailor Moon/Zoids crossovers out there.  So far there is only one that I know of and you can find it on FanFiction.net.  The title of the story is called Sailor Zoid Gold by Gundum M.  It's about zoids in the Sol system as the daughters of the Senshi take part in a zoids battle.  Now I'll be totally honest by saying that it does need some work but it is worth checking out seeing as how it is the first zoids crossover I've seen on FF.net.  Hopefully there will be more crossovers out there soon.  And hopefully the authors will take a bit more time checking out the info on the series instead of trying to impress us with their knowledge of the weapons on each zoid but enough about that.

Okay before we move onto what's next it's time for some shameless promotions.  I have a radio station on Live365.com and if you have a high-speed modem you can listen to it.  I had all these anime mp3s collecting dust on my hard drive so I decided to put them to good use and created Radio Free Mars: Anime Radio From the Red Planet.  If you like anime music and Cowboy Bebop then I suggest checking out this station because I have dug up Mr. Martian the pirate station operator on Mars to host my station.  So from now on this fic and anything else I write will be sponsored by the guys at Radio Free Mars.  Also check out Adult Swim this Saturday on Cartoon Network as they debut three new anime series to their lineup.  They're giving us Gundam 0083, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Pilot Candidate along with two regular Toonami favorites and an Adult Swim staple.  We now end our free plug.

Okay now that Usagi has had her first meeting with the Blitz team what's next you say?  Well Usagi gets another lead about the Backdraft Group and finds herself trying to protect the Blitz team once again.  And it seems as though the Liger received a bit of an upgrade.  Can the Lunar Cat help the Blitz team defeat the Backdraft Group's new Elephander?  Find out in The Zoid Warrior episode three: Meeting the Blitz Team.


	2. The Lunar Cat

The commission was worried.  The reports of illegal activity within the commission sanctioned events had them fearing for the integrity of everything they stood for.  And one group was rumored to be responsible the money driven powerful Backdraft Group.  The Backdraft Group used every single monetary fund they had to fund their illegal activities.  The Backdraft Group had a virtual army of zoids at their disposal and the scientists they paid off gave them an unfair advantage over the properly registered teams.

Something had to be done about the Backdraft Group before they began making any open moves on officially sanctioned zoid battles.  So far the Backdraft Group had spent most of their time and money doing research and making archeological surveys.  They were searching for something and what that was no one knew.  The Zoid Battle Commission needed to do something before the entire governing body in the zoid world was destroyed.

The high-ranking members of the commission sat around the large u shaped table waiting for one of the junior members in charge of regulating zoid parts and ammunition to come and make a proposal before the Battle Commission.  The junior member of the commission was connected to one of the most prestigious Zoid production companies.  In fact, his wife was the president of the company and zoids designed by members of the research and development team just might be what the commission needed to protect itself and the sanctity of the zoid battle from the evils of the Backdraft Group.

"Sir, Mr. Tsukino is here." A man named Carlson announced.

"Show him in Carlson." Mr. Anders, the head of the commission, replied.

A slender man with dark brown hair, matching eyes, and glasses entered into the room carrying a stack of papers and a television remote styled device.  Upon entering the room he placed the stack of papers at one end of the u shaped table and pushed a button on the remote bringing down a large screen.  He was Kenji Tsukino a member of the regulatory committee on the battle commission.

"Gentleman if you would take a report and pass the rest down we can get this presentation underway." Kenji instructed as he pressed another button on the remote calling a projector from the ceiling.

As the reports were passed down the table Kenji got his presentation underway.

********

At the same time the high-ranking members of the Zoid Battle Commission were meeting with Kenji Tsukino another meeting was taking place.  At the Moon Corporation members of the research and design team were meeting with the president of the company Serenity Tsukino wife of one Kenji Tsukino.  Serenity was a woman with an ageless beauty who had blue eyes and long silvery blonde hair.  She had inherited the company from her father on the day he decided to retire.  But Serenity was more than just the president of one of the top zoid production companies on Zi she was also a mother.

The topic of discussion for the meeting with the boys in R&D was the design of four new zoids.  These zoids if accepted by the battle commission would take zoid battles to an interesting level.  They were being dubbed amongst the boys in R&D the elemental zoids.  The new zoids would utilize the powers of ice, fire, lightning, and pure energy as a part of their attacks.  Designing the new zoids was proving to be a real challenge and it was showing on the faces of the R&D team.  Countless hours were spent trying to overcome problems with weight and overheating cockpits.  The team had some preliminary design specs under their belts but they needed some vast improvements on the designs.

"Have you been able to figure out the problems with the overheating cockpit on the Fire Bird yet Saunders?" Serenity asked the head of the R&D department.

"By adding a cooling system to the fire cannon and giving the rest of the zoid an upgraded and redesigned cooling system we've been able to keep the temperature at a safe level while at the same time keeping total overall weight near that of the original design." Saunders told her.

"Good we want to make certain the zoid will be able to fly without roasting alive the pilot." Serenity commented, "Have we been able to get the flight capabilities of the Thunder Dragon to work?"

"The weight of the zoid and its overall design are a couple of problems we need to overcome if we're going to get it off the ground." A man named Peterson replied.

"And the Beam Cat?" Serenity wanted to know.

"The basic lion design is no problem and the twin beam cannons work fine in their basic mode.  We just need to get the intermittent timing down for the meteor shower attack and the zoid will be ready for production." Saunders right hand man Funaki reported.

"And finally the snow bear." Serenity said.

"The only thing we need to do is run a few more numbers on the cooling system and run some design tests on the pumps for the mist emitters before we can clear it for production.  Overall design is actually pretty good." Saunders replied.

"Good you get on that right away and let me know which zoids we can produce a concept model for as soon as they're ready." Serenity instructed them, "I'll be in my office.  Both my husband and my daughter have promised me they would call me today and I want to actually be there when it comes in.  This meeting is adjourned gentlemen."

With that Serenity and her R&D team left the small conference room to go to their respective offices to get work done and await the calls from loved ones.

********

The early morning sun shone over the peak of the small cliff accentuating every single foothold and jutting rock in the face of the cliff.  This was a free climbers paradise not too steep and challenging enough to work the entire body.  Off in the distance was a large transport vehicle capable of carrying three zoids and personnel in comfort.  On the face of the cliff was the shadow of a lone climber.  And breaking the pristine silence of the area was a simple mantra.

"I will not fall.  I will not fall. I will not fall.  I will not fall." The voice said over and over again.

Strapped to the back of the climber, who upon closer inspection was female, was a pack and inside the pack just peaking out of the top were two felines one black and one white both with golden crescent marks on their foreheads.  The amazing thing was the mantra being chanted was coming from the black female member of the feline duo.

"Luna you worry too much." The male told his companion.

"Artimes we're hundreds of feet into the air on a rock face with no support lines to stop us if she looses her grip and falls so I have every right to worry." Luna replied.

"Don't worry you two I haven't fallen yet." The girl said to the felines.

"Yet being the key word." Luna commented.

"Look I chose this cliff because of the challenge it offers and the cave at the top." The girl replied.

"You don't mean Devil's Cave do you Usagi?" Artimes wondered.

"Yes Devil's Cave.  We are going to explore Devil's Cave." Usagi said.

"But everyone who's attempted to explore Devil's Cave have reported seeing some sort of monster with glowing eyes.  They say they've heard a strange roaring noise from the cave." Luna replied.

"That's just silly superstition Luna.  Besides we're there." Usagi told her.

The young woman dressed in dark blue climbing clothes with azure blue eyes and long blonde hair in a braided double bun style pulled herself over the top of the rock face to the ledge at the top of the cliff.  When both feet were firmly planted on the ground Usagi removed the pack from her back and let the two felines out.  Luna immediately got away from the edge of the cliff while Usagi and Artimes prepared for their exploration of Devil's Cave.

********

The Zoid Warrior

Episode One: The Lunar Cat

********

"Gentlemen I'm certain you are all well aware of the threats made to this commission by the renegade group known as the Backdraft." Kenji began, "And while the Backdraft have made no serious moves against the commission yet the threat still remains.  That is why I propose we take preventative measures to ensure the Backdraft do not destroy the league and the commission.  These measures would include watching over battles for signs of any activity from the Backdraft and taking necessary measures."

"What sort of measures do you suggest we take to keep the Backdraft from interfering during a commissioned battle?" Anders wanted to know.

"We take the only measures the Backdraft will actually listen to.  We fight zoid against zoid.  It's as simple as that." Kenji explained.

The leaders of the commission thought about what Kenji had said and didn't know if interfering with a zoid battle was the right course of action to take.  According to the rules set up by the commission interfering with a sanctioned zoid battle was strictly prohibited and resulted in the cancellation of the battle and some serious infractions against anyone who interfered with a battle if they were properly registered with the Zoid Battle Commission.

"But interfering with a zoid battle is against the rules set forth by the commission and results in immediate termination of the battle and fines and infractions against the individuals responsible." One member said reminding everyone of one of the rules of battle.

"Yes but the battle would be technically over the moment the Backdraft appeared at a battle and any moves we take to stop the Backdraft would therefore be legal ones." Kenji replied stating his point.

"He is right you know.  Any fighting that takes place after a sanctioned battle has been interrupted may be frowned upon but it isn't exactly illegal." Another member stated.

The men sitting around the table looked at each other and nodded in agreement with the two previous statements.  They knew once a battle had been called off by the judge anything that happened after that would simply be seen as a grudge match.  The two teams would not receive any individual points or prize money when the battle was over with.

"Yes grudge matches aren't exactly seen in a favorable light but they aren't illegal either.  Most warriors would rather fight in sanctioned battles for prize money and individual points so they can continue to operate their teams and move into higher classes." Kenji said.

"So then what do you suggest we use against the Backdraft?" Anders wanted to know.

Kenji pressed a button on his remote and an illustration came on the screen.  It was a 3D computer generated image of a zoid spec of a white bear zoid with blue accents.  The name at the top of the illustration was Snow Bear.  Kenji was going to pitch the new zoids the Moon Corporation was designing to the battle commission.

"If you'll open the informational packets I gave you to page two you'll see the zoid shown on the screen before you." Kenji began, "This is the Snow Bear.  It's a bear type zoid equipped with a rear mounted ice beam cannon and a mist screening system.  This zoid is capable of both land and water use like a real polar bear."

With the press of a button the image on the screen changed to show a red bird with black accents.

"This next zoid is the Fire Bird.  This zoid is a pterodactyl type zoid with a belly mounted fire cannon.  This zoid is perfect for airborne battles."

Once again the image on the screen changed to show a large dark green European styled dragon with large wings and a nasty looking tail.

"This is the Thunder Dragon.  As its name implies it is a dragon type zoid with a hidden electromagnetic cannon in its mouth and a rear tail blade.  This zoid can fight either on the land or in the air through the use of its large wings and booster system."

Kenji pressed the button on the remote once again and the image changed to show an orange and white lion with two cannons on its back.

"This final zoid is the Beam Cat.  Like the Shield and Blade Ligers this zoid is a lion type zoid.  The Beam Cat is equipped with rear twin mounted beam cannons that can shoot a single energy beam or several short beams in rapid succession.  Now if there are any questions." Kenji said.

The head of the battle commission voiced the main question on the minds of the senior members of the Zoid Battle Commission.

"Mr. Tsukino how do you know these zoids will be able to handle whatever the Backdraft Group has planned for us?" Anders asked him.

"Right now we don't.  The zoids the R&D team at the Moon Corporation affectionately calls the elemental zoids are in the final design phase.  After a few minor adjustments here and there these zoids will be ready for full production and the only way we'll know what they can do is in an actual battle against the Backdraft Group." Kenji replied.

"We'll look over your proposal and give you our decision later on today." Anders told him.

"Thank you sir."

********

Usagi and the felines slowly made their way inside Devil's Cave.  The enormous entrance to the cave was large enough for a lion type zoid to be able to enter into the cave.  And the inside was even larger than any normal cave.  It was almost as if the cave was designed to hide a zoid within its depths.  And as the trio headed further into the cave Usagi could almost swear she heard something calling out to her from within the depths of the cave.

Making their way deeper into the cave the trio saw a pair of blue glowing eyes penetrating the darkness.  Mesmerized by the strange glow Usagi continued to head towards the strange glowing eyes.  The voice that was calling out to her seemed to be getting louder and louder the closer she got to the strange blue light in the deeper recesses of the cave.  Luna and Artimes saw the almost vacant washed over look in Usagi's eyes and began to get worried.

"I don't like this one bit Artimes." Luna said to her feline companion.

"I know that look on her face has me worried." Artimes replied.

"She needs me.  She's calling out to me." Usagi said not really looking to start a conversation.

Luna and Artimes looked at each other wondering what Usagi was talking about.  They knew the young blonde heard and felt things on a level no ordinary person could.  Usagi was considered to be strongly empathic and quite on the psychic side.  The young woman was quite amazing.

"Do you think she's feeling something psychically?" Artimes asked Luna.

"She could be.  It's hard to tell when she gets her psychic vibrations." Luna replied.

The two cats looked up only to see their charge already quite far ahead of them.  Running at top speed to catch up with her they were treated to a sight unlike any other.  There standing before them was a large white cheetah like zoid with black "socks" and a golden crescent mark on the forehead.  On its back was a large single cannon and on its sides were two large raised collapsible slots that appeared to fire some type of weapon.

"Whoa what is that?" Artimes wondered in amazement.

"I've never seen a zoid like that before." Luna commented.

"She's the Lunar Cat and she needs me." Usagi said.

"She what do you mean she needs you?" Luna asked a bit confused.

"It's hard to describe but it's almost as though I can understand what she's saying to me.  She has a distinct personality and she feels alive.  She wants me to pilot her." Usagi explained.

"Are you sure?" Artimes wondered.

"Yes.  See." Usagi replied as she motioned towards the Lunar Cat.

The Lunar Cat lowered its head and opened the cockpit allowing Usagi to climb inside.  Having lived around zoids her entire life Usagi knew how to handle the controls of just about any zoid commonly used in sanctioned zoid battles.  Taking off her pack Usagi placed it next to her on the floor of the cockpit as she gave Luna and Artimes a look that told them everything would be perfectly fine.  The two felines leapt inside the strange new zoid and found a spot where they could sit on either side of Usagi.  The cockpit was large enough to accommodate the three comfortably without adding any size to the head of the zoid.

Giving the controls of the zoid a quick once over Usagi saw they were both similar to other zoids and at the same time different from other zoids.  Looking a little closer at the controls Usagi found the canopy controls and closed the canopy to the Lunar Cat.

"Let's see if we can't get her fully operational." Usagi said as she opened the panel holding the interactive zoid gear.

"Okay so we know it has a zoid gear computer." Artimes commented stating the obvious.

"My aren't we the genius." Luna said dryly.

"Okay, okay we have more important things to worry about." Usagi said ending any argument before it could begin as she closed the zoid gear compartment.

Taking a look at the controls and displays Usagi fiddled around with the controls a bit before finding the switches that would fully activate the zoid.  Roaring to life the zoid stood up as a harness strapped Usagi in place and she took the controls guiding the zoid out of the cave.

********

Hours had gone by since the meeting was over with and Serenity was getting tired of waiting for someone to call.  Her husband Kenji had told her he would call when he had word whether or not the Zoid Battle Commission had accepted his proposal.  While her daughter Usagi had told her she would just call.  Serenity knew Usagi could at times get wrapped up in her little pet projects and forget to call until either Luna or one of the girls reminded her about it.  Serenity had hoped spending time with the zoid team her company sponsored would make Usagi a more responsible person.  The all girl team had promised Serenity they would whip Usagi into shape.  And on her sixteenth birthday Usagi went out on her very first zoid journey.  That was almost a year ago.

"Maybe having her join the Sol Team while they competed in their battles wasn't such a good idea." Serenity mused as she looked at the last picture taken of her not so little girl.

Letting out a sigh Serenity thought about retrieving Usagi and bringing her home.  But as she mentally reminded herself this journey was for Usagi's own good the vidphone began ringing.  Hoping it was her daughter Serenity pressed the receive button on the control pad for the phone and was greeted by the sight of her husband Kenji.  And with a less than enthusiastic smile Serenity greeted him.

"Hello dear." She said.

"What disappointed I'm not Usagi?" Kenji asked her.

"A little." She replied with a sigh.

Kenji could tell she had been thinking about Usagi again not only from the sigh but also from her body language.  The vidphone hid nothing from the other person on the other end of the line.

"Don't worry I'm sure she'll call you like she promised." Kenji said.

"But when?" Serenity wanted to know.

"I can't say that I can give an honest answer to that question.  But moving on to the real reason why I called, not that I don't enjoy talking about her, the commission made their decision a little while ago and they've decided to accept my proposal.  They want to use the prototypes the R&D department is working on.  And they said as soon as all the design bugs are worked out and the zoids have been built and have pilots they're going to put them to work."

"Really, that's wonderful!" Serenity said with a smile, "We'll have to celebrate as soon as you come back home."

"Maybe we can go and visit that daughter of ours too if it will make you feel any better." Kenji replied with a slight chuckle.

Serenity rested her chin on her hand and sighed before answering her husband.

"I just can't help worrying about her is all." She said.

"Well we can discuss this some more when I get back home.  Right now I have to get back to work." Kenji replied.

"Alright.  I love you dear." Serenity said blowing him a kiss.

"Love you too."

With that Serenity ended the call by pressing the terminate button on the control pad and let out another sigh.  She missed her daughter too much and the almost seventeen year old didn't seem to call her enough to help her get over the pain of separation.

********

Setsuna Meiou sat in the main lounge of the Floating Castle going over the results of the last battle the team had recently been in.  The girls had been in a bit of a slump as of late and Setsuna had hoped some time off would help them get back into a grove of some kind.  As it stood right now they were at the very bottom of Class A and any more losses would result with them being bumped back into a lower class.  They were good but the girls were nowhere in the same class as the Tigers team.  As it stood they were barely better than the Champ team who had made it to Class A by sheer luck.

"We've got to start winning more battles." Setsuna thought aloud.

The two zoids the Sol team had were good quality zoids.  The Dibison was a good heavy artillery zoid with a lot of firepower but it lacked speed and maneuverability.  And the Pteras was an excellent air zoid with the right balance between firepower and maneuverability but was completely stationary when used on land.  Haruka Tenou proved to be well suited for the Pteras and made an excellent pilot while her partner Michiru Kaiou while not strictly a land type warrior was able to handle the Dibison fairly well.

Rounding out the Sol team was their tactical officer and their mechanic.  Setsuna's adopted daughter Hotaru Tomoe was fairly good at coming up with the strategies they used in their battles.  While she wasn't suited for zoid battles Hotaru was useful to the team behind the command console of the Floating Castle.  The final member of the Sol team was Usagi Tsukino.  She was their mechanic.  It was her vast knowledge of the different types of zoids and zoid components that made her well suited for the job.  The girls didn't care she was the daughter of their sponsor or the daughter of a member of the regulatory committee of the battle commission.  They worked her just as hard as any other member of the team and treated her no different than they treated each other.

The last battle the Sol team against the Tigers team resulted in a loss.  The Tigers were able to use the slight speed advantage of the Saber Tiger and freeze the computer systems of their zoids.  The Pteras's weakness on land was used to the full advantage of the Tigers team and Haruka was the first to be taken out.  From there it was a classic two on one double team and Michiru wasn't far behind.  The Sol team was disappointed they had lost but they knew they had done all they could.  The Pteras and the Dibison were just outmatched by the more experienced warriors of the Tigers team.

"There has to be a better strategy we can use in order to win." Setsuna thought aloud.

Setsuna put her clipboard down and began rubbing the bridge of her nose letting out a huge sigh.  Taking a short break from looking over stats and battle data Setsuna hoped she would have better ideas when she got back to her work.  And as Setsuna sat there Hotaru came into the room.

"Setsuna-mama Usagi's on the radio for you." Hotaru said.

Setsuna sighed thankful for the interruption from Usagi and went to the control room of the Floating Castle to take the radio call from her.

"This is the Floating Castle go ahead Usagi." Setsuna said into the radio.

"Setsuna you are not going to believe what the cats and I found in Devil's Cave." Usagi told her.

"What did you find Usagi-chan?" Setsuna wondered her curiosity peaked.

"We found a zoid, an honest to goodness zoid.  In fact, we're bringing her back as we speak."

"You found a zoid in working condition inside Devil's Cave?  Are you sure it doesn't already belong to somebody?"

"I'm certain of it Setsuna.  I've been around zoids my whole life and this is one type of zoid I've never seen before today."

"Alright then bring it in so we can have a look at it.  Setsuna out."

"Will do Setsuna.  Usagi out."

Setsuna knew Usagi wouldn't yank her chain when it came to zoids.  The young blonde knew her stuff and had been helpful with information about the capabilities of each zoid they faced.  That information combined with the tactical information Hotaru had allowed for the strategies they came up with each time they went into battle.  But lately those strategies weren't working.

"Maybe we need a new zoid for them to use.  This zoid they found will be perfect for the girls." Setsuna mused aloud.

"Shouldn't we see what it can do before we decide to use it in a battle?" Hotaru replied.

"I guess you are right."

********

The sound of the ringing vidphone was music to Serenity's ears.  Pressing the receive button on the console Serenity was greeted with a sight she had been waiting to see for hours.  There on the small square screen was her daughter Usagi.  The young blonde had a huge smile on her face and looked as though she would burst at the seams in excitement.

"Usagi you called." Serenity said with a smile on her face.

"Hey mom.  Yeah I remembered I promised to call you today without Luna's help." Usagi replied.

"So is this going to be one of our usual chats or is there something else you want to talk to me about." Serenity said referring to Usagi's excited expression.

The smile on Usagi's face seemed to grow larger by the second.

"Mom you are not going to believe what I found today during my climb." Usagi said going almost a mile a minute.

"What did you find Usagi?" Serenity asked thinking was getting excited over something that was not of great importance.

Usagi took a deep breath and in true Usagi fashion she was bouncing off the walls bursting with excitement and a smile that went from ear to ear.

"I found a zoid.  A real live zoid." Usagi told her.

"Usagi, where were you climbing today?" Serenity wanted to know.

"The cats and I were tackling the rock face near Devil's Cave.  It's a great place for a free climb.  But that's beside the point because when we went inside the cave we found the zoid in the deeper parts of the cave." Usagi said.

"Why would someone abandon a perfectly good zoid inside a cave?" Serenity wondered.

"But that's just it mom no one abandoned her.  This zoid is a type I've never seen before in battle or in any of the books.  It's almost like she's the zoid version of Luna and Artimes." Usagi explained.

Serenity sat there for a moment thinking about what Usagi had told her.  An unknown zoid found inside a cave by her daughter no less who kept giving it a specific gender wasn't something that happened everyday.  That and the reference to Usagi's cats had her puzzled.

"Usagi I'd like to take a look at that zoid.  Why don't you and the girls bring it to the hanger.  We need to find out what it is capable of and what type of zoid it is." Serenity said.

"Okay mom.  It shouldn't be a problem since the girls are technically on a break.  I'll talk to Setsuna and we can be home in a day or two." Usagi replied.

"I'll see you then Usagi.  Love you honey." Serenity told her.

"Love you too mom." Usagi replied with a smile and a wave just before blowing a kiss.

With that Serenity ended the call and went to prepare things for her daughter's arrival.  When Kenji returned home that night she was going to have a lot to talk about with him.

********

The engineers at the Moon Corporation had never seen anything like the Lunar Cat before.  Their first impression of the zoid led them to believe it was a white version of the Lightning Saix.  That in itself would make it a rare zoid but they soon learned it wasn't what they thought it was.  The Lunar Cat was nothing like Lightning Saix.

Like the Saix the Lunar Cat was built for speed but that's where the similarities ended.  The engineers quickly learned that the Lunar Cat was very particular about who piloted her.  When the engineers tried to get into the cockpit to run a few tests she tossed them out and refused to let them back in.  They soon learned that the Lunar Cat would only allow Usagi and her cats inside the cockpit.

When the testing had ended Usagi, her parents, and the members of the R&D department who had administered the tests met to discuss their findings.

"The Lunar Cat is an amazing zoid." Saunders said, "It can achieve a top speed of nearly three hundred kilometers per hour.  It has a rare operating system.  This zoid is equipped with an organoid operating system."

"An organoid system what's that?" Usagi wondered.

"It's an organic operating system that is quite rare for a zoid to have.  Even when they were more widely common organoid systems were still rare when used in a zoid.  To find a zoid with this system nowadays is next to impossible.  That's why you don't hear much about this operating system." Kenji explained to his daughter.

"What else did you find out during your tests Saunders?" Serenity wanted to know.

Saunders looked over his notes and decided to give her the rest of the information they found out during the speed test.

"The Lunar Cat has great maneuverability in addition to its speed.  Like a real cat this zoid can handle high speed turns with no stress to the joints." He reported.

"Yeah she corners like a dream." Usagi added.

"Um yes well after the initial tests for speed and maneuverability we conducted tests on its weapons.  As you know the Lunar Cat has a thirty millimeter beam cannon on its back.  But this particular cannon is different from normal beam cannons.  The energy beam released from the cannon comes in short multicolored burst." Saunders told them.

"Interesting." Serenity commented.

With a smile on her face Usagi added her own two cents to the conversation once more.

"She calls that her kaleidoscope beam." Usagi said referring to the zoid.

"I see.  What about those large slots on the sides of the zoid?" Kenji wanted to know.

"Those house another weapon.  It seems this zoid is capable of producing and firing energy disks." Mr. Funaki explained to everyone.

"What else have you learned about this zoid?" Serenity asked them.

"The marking on the head of the zoid is more than just a decoration.  Apparently it serves as the focal point for an energy shield." Saunders said.

"And that zoid seems quite attached to your daughter and its smaller counterparts.  Although it let us examine it and run maintenance checks on it the zoid will only let your daughter and her cats inside the cockpit.  We tried several times to climb inside but it kept tossing us out on our behinds." Funaki added.

"I guess she feels comfortable with me inside." Usagi surmised.

"That's another thing Usagi is always treating the zoid as if it were just like her cats." Saunders noted, "We have yet to figure why."

"Yes that's been puzzling me as well." Serenity said.

"I don't know how she does it but that zoid talks to me just like Luna and Artimes can." Usagi explained to them.

"Well whatever the reason it looks like you've got yourself a zoid." Kenji said.

********

Here you have the first episode in what I hope will be a successful crossover between Zoids and Sailor Moon.  This happens to be the second such crossover I've seen.  And unlike any prior crossovers this one will be more of a fusion.  This is one of the harder crossovers to attempt because there really isn't a lot of English information on the series they show on Cartoon Network yet.  You can find a lot of info on zoids models but show info has yet to be easily found.  That's why I'm thankful for Channel Zi and its partner sites for the information they do have.

In this episode as with all first installments of a new series we are introduced to the main characters and the plot begins to develop.  I've decided in this series to forgo the usual Tsukino family and instead have Kenji married to Queen Serenity of all people.  But instead of making her the queen of something I've put her leadership skills to work as the head of a successful zoid manufacturing company.  The Moon Corporation produces several types of zoids and as you can see they're developing some new types.  These zoids are loosely based on the powers of the Senshi.

As you can see Kenji works on one of the many committees within the Zoid Battle Commission that oversees zoid battles.  I have plans for him to be connected to a certain zoid obsessed member of the Blitz Team in a way.  That should make things interesting when Usagi meets up with our favorite zoid team.  And I also have plans for a zoid battle between the Blitz Team and the Sol Team.  Of course you can't have a zoids series without the interfering Backdraft Group.  Only this time the ZBC is going to do something about their meddling ways right off the bat.

Now you're probably wondering why I made the Lunar Cat the way I did.  Well the answer to that is simple.  Who says there can only be two Ultimate X zoids out there?  I say lets have one more and the fact that the Lunar Cat has an organoid system and has bonded with Usagi who happens to be psychic as well as empathic in this series makes it one.

So what's next for the mechanic turned warrior?  The Zoid Battle Commission puts Usagi to work investigating the activities of the Backdraft Group and she runs into a certain plucky little zoid team.  Do bit and Usagi have something in common?  And can the Lunar Cat and the members of the Blitz team beat the Hellcats of the Gold Team?  Find out in The Zoid Warrior episode two: The Invisible Cats.


	3. Meeting the Blitz Team

Usagi was required to report in to the battle commission once a week or right after an encounter with the Backdraft Group whichever happened first.  On this particular day Usagi was sending in a report on the latest Backdraft activity.  It appeared as though the Backdraft Group was going into the zoid production business.  The Backdraft engineers were busy running all sorts of tests on artillery and other zoid components.  And when the report was over with the battle commission gave Usagi her next mission.  Usagi was to gather as much information as she could about this new zoid.

The mission Usagi had been given wasn't a very exciting one.  Currently there was a lot of sitting around and watching a bunch of men in stiff suits run test after test on their new zoid.  And after her first run in with the Blitz team Usagi was hoping for some action instead all she did was stake out a large hanger and an empty field.

Usagi's time watching the Backdraft Group wasn't all dull and boring.  The female zoid pilot had with her a computer that had remote access to the Zoid Net and a radio so she could have some entertainment while on the road.  It wasn't that Luna and Artimes weren't good company it was just that sometimes it seemed too quiet especially when the cats slept.

With the report sent in Usagi could spend time learning more about the Blitz team off of the Zoid Net.  The Blitz team had intrigued Usagi when she ran into them on the battlefield.  There was something about the white Liger the Blitz team had.  Usagi could tell the white Liger was a lot like the Lunar Cat.  There was something organic about it and Usagi could feel distinct emotions coming from the Liger.

The rules set forth by the battle commission allowed for information regarding teams registered with the commission to be released so the teams would have a fair playing field when they went into battle with one another.  The information sent into the commission was normally released when the class rankings were sent out.  However, more detailed information about each individual member of a team was usually sent out after the yearly Zoid Trials.  The trials were held to not only gather stats on each warrior but to see which of the registered warriors was the best in the world.

The newest information on the registered teams in Class A showed something had happened.  The information on the Blitz team showed the white Liger that Usagi had learned was called the Liger Zero had a set of blue armor that added to his speed and maneuverability.  The Judge pod that oversaw the battle between the Blitz team and the Champ team had sent the newest information to the battle commission after the Liger Zero had defeated the mercenary hired by Harry Champ.  The addition of this new armor made the Liger even more of a mystery.  And Usagi was determined to solve it.

********

The Moon Corporation weren't the only ones pushing the envelope and coming up with new zoid designs.  The Backdraft Group was working on a new zoid of their own.  This new zoid was large in size and packed with every feature they could think of.  What it lacked in speed and maneuverability it more than made up for in firepower.  The zoid was able to carry heavy artillery on its backside.  With the firepower it had the zoid didn't need to fast or agile.

The Elephander Project, as it was being called, was being overseen by a retired zoid warrior known throughout the Backdraft Group as Captain Stigma Stoler.  Stoler was considered one of the best all around zoid warriors of his generation.  Not only was he good a piloting a zoid but also he was also a good shot and a good strategist.  Stoler was one of the best warriors and leaders in the Backdraft Group.  With his guidance the Elephander Project was bound to be a success.

The Elephander was a zoid that looked exactly like an elephant.  The large zoid was armed with an impressive arsenal including a Strike Iron Claw, a Hyper Energy Shield, an AZ Sixty Millimeter Hyper Laser Gun, and a one hundred fifteen Millimeter Pulse Laser Gun.  The Elephander had a voice activated control system as well as the standard manual control system.  But one of the main features of the Elephander was its interchangeable weapons system.  This made it possible for the Elephander to use a wide range of weapons during a battle.  All in all the Elephander was an amazing zoid.

The leader of the Backdraft Group, a man simply known as the Count, had a theory concerning the Liger Zero.  He believed the white Liger was a zoid known as an Ultimate X.  The Ultimate X was a zoid type where a very rare organoid system had permanently melded with the zoid's operating system.  It was believed that many years ago organoids ran free and could meld with a zoid's operating system on command.  A zoid with an organoid in it became faster and stronger than normal zoids.  But an Ultimate X zoid with its permanently melded organoid could also learn from past mistakes.

The Count had heard the rumors running around the Zoid Net about the Liger Zero's new armor and wanted to test the Liger Zero against the might of the Elephander.  He wanted to test his theory and see if the Liger Zero was indeed faster and stronger than the strongest zoid the Backdraft Group had.  And if the Liger Zero was indeed an Ultimate X then the Backdraft Group would do whatever it took to have it as a part of their ever-growing arsenal.

********

The Blitz team was fresh off their latest win against the Champ team.  The struggling zoid team fronted by Harry Champ along with his two AI robotic teammates Benjamin and Sebastian had hired mercenary Jack Sisco the pilot of the Lightning Saix.  The Lightning Saix specialized in high speed combat.  Like the Lunar Cat the Lightning Saix was a cheetah type zoid capable of achieving over three hundred kilometers per hour.  And in Jack's capable hands the Lightning Saix had amazing maneuverability, which made it hard to beat during a battle.

Like all mercenaries Jack Sisco battled only for money.  Jack, like Brad, went where the money was but that's where the similarities ended.  Unlike Brad Jack had yet to find a permanent team to work with.  The lone mercenary traveled from team to team helping them win battles and collecting a share of the prize money or a set fee for his services.  Joining up with the Champ team enabled Jack to collect a large sum of money from the Champ family heir.

The battle was a standard 0982 three on three with Bit, Brad, and Leena going up against Jack, Harry, and Benjamin.  Things went pretty cut and dry for Brad and Leena.  They were able to take down Harry and Benjamin with no problems.  Bit however, had a ton of trouble dealing with Jack.  The Lightning Saix had a slight advantage in the speed department over the Liger Zero and the white zoid was having problems evading the attacks Jack sent toward it.

The Liger's only chance at beating the Lightning Saix was to attempt to use the experimental Conversion Armor System Dr. Toros had been working on.  With it the Liger Zero could choose between three different armors with different capabilities for different situations.  The first of these armors was the Jager.  This blue armor added a great deal of speed to the Liger with its rear rocket boosters.  The high-speed armor made the Liger as fast as the Saix.  But like the Saix the high speed put added pressure on the body of the pilot when used.

With the Jager system on the Liger Zero Bit was not only able to keep up with the Lightning Saix but he was able to defeat him.  Before meeting up with Harry Champ Jack had yet to loose.  And before meeting up with Harry Champ Jack had yet to encounter a zoid like the Liger Zero and a warrior like Bit Cloud.  Bit seemed to be the only other pilot besides Jack who understood what a high-speed battle did to the human body.  Bit had decided right then and there to only use the Jager only when absolutely necessary until he could get used to its side effects.

********

The Zoid Warrior

Episode Three: Meeting the Blitz Team

********

Weather had no effect on a zoid battle.  A battle could not be called on account of rain unlike a baseball game in an open-air ballpark.  A battle could only be called on account of interference or loss of judge.  Weather only served to make a zoid battle more interesting.  And so when it rained the battlefield became a very interesting place.

The Blitz team wasn't about to let the weather affect their battle with the Viper team.  The day of the battle had turned out to be dark and stormy the kind of atmosphere a bad mystery story thrives on.  The Viper team was made up of Stealth Vipers a snake type zoid that was capable of masking its sound making it impossible to detect on a zoid's radar.  And the Viper team took full advantage of this.

Leena was pitted up against one of the members of the Viper team and having a hard time locating him on her radar.  As she continued to scan the area the short-tempered warrior thought she had seen the zoid on several occasions.  The lack of progress in the battle was getting on her nerves and wasn't helping the trigger happy Leena one bit.  But her luck was about to change as the zoid finally appeared on her radar.

"Get ready to say goodbye!" Leena said as she locked onto the Viper.

Seconds before Leena was going to fire upon the Stealth Viper an unknown zoid appeared on the battlefield and hit the Dibison head on with a laser blast taking the zoid out.

"This is just great my computer froze." Leena yell quite frustrated.

The Judge saw the unknown zoid and sounded its siren.

"Warning unauthorized personnel on the battlefield.  Repeat unauthorized personnel on the battlefield." The Judge announced.

The Judge tried to connect to the Zoid Battle Commission satellite and get them to shoot it down but wasn't having any luck.  At the same time another zoid, one the Blitz team had seen before, appeared on the battlefield and had its cannon pointed at the unknown zoid.  But before the zoid or the battle commission could do anything to the unknown zoid it glowed for a brief moment before disappearing right off the radar.

"This is just great now the battle is going to be canceled." Bit complained.

"Just be thankful that thing only took out one of your zoids." A female voice said over the radio.

"It's you." Brad said upon recognizing both zoid and voice.

"Good to see you and the rest of the Blitz team again Brad." The girl replied.

After a couple of minutes Bit remembered the zoid from the Blitz team's first encounter with the Backdraft Group.  The zoid and its pilot had helped them out of a tight spot.

"Now I remember who you are.  You're that warrior who helped us out against the Gold team." Bit said over the radio.

"Blitz team since this battle was interrupted by unauthorized fire it looks like we're going to have to reschedule our battle.  What do you say about holding the battle at the same place tomorrow morning?  Does that sound agreeable to you?" the leader of the Viper team said.

"Sounds fine to me." Bit replied.

"This battle has now been rescheduled for tomorrow morning at the same coordinates." The Judge announced to everyone on the battlefield.

With that both the Viper team and the Judge pod left the battlefield until the next day leaving the Blitz team to pick up the pieces of the damaged Dibison.

"You guys need any help bringing in your Dibison?" the girl asked Bit and Brad.

"Thanks we could use some help with Leena's zoid." Brad said.

With that the three zoids went to get some towlines from the Hovercargo so they could bring in the damaged Dibison.

Once the Dibison was inside the hanger of the Hovercargo the Blitz team could prepare for their rematch against the Viper team.  And to show their appreciation for the help she had given them Dr. Toros had insisted the girl Brad had told him was trustworthy stay the night with them as a guest of the Blitz team.  The girl, after a brief moment to discuss the offer with some unknown comrades, readily accepted the Doc's offer.  And so Jamie and the Doc went to greet the warriors when they came into the Hovercargo's main hanger.

The moment the Doc saw the zoid the girl had with her he began to drool and go gaga over a zoid he had never seen before.  Dr. Steve Toros was in zoid heaven.

"Now that's a zoid I'd want to have on my team." The Doc said.

"I've never seen a zoid like that one before." Jamie commented.

"I know and it's so beautiful." The Doc added as he continued to gush over the zoid.

Leena turned to her father and hung her head in her gloved hand in embarrassment.

"Oh dad." She groaned as she shook her head.

It was then the canopy on the unknown zoid opened and the pilot jumped out.  She was as Brad remembered her blue eyes, blonde hair in a braided double bun style, and her all pink clothes.  With a smile the girl looked up to her zoid and watched as two cats one black and one white bounded out of the zoid and made their way onto her shoulders.  Both cats had a mark similar to the one on the zoid upon their foreheads something the Blitz team found strangely coincidental.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay the night with you." The girl said, "My name is Usagi Tsukino and these two furry little guys are my cats Luna and Artimes."

Upon hearing Usagi's name the Doc got a look of intense thought on his face.  He had heard the name Tsukino before and was trying to figure out where.  And when it hit him the Doc's entire face lit up.

"I met a Tsukino once during my academy days.  He was an engineering student in one of my classes.  Quite the interesting person if I do say so myself." The Doc said.

"Well enough of dad taking a trip down memory lane.  My name's Leena Toros and that's my dad Dr. Steve Toros." Leena introduced.

"The name's Bit Could zoid pilot extraordinaire." Bit said acting a tad bit cocky.

"My name's Jamie." Jamie said extending his hand.

Usagi grasped Jamie's hand and gave it a good shake while giving him one of her patented smiles that could make anyone her friend real fast.

"Um, just what kind of zoid is that?" the Doc asked Usagi a bit embarrassed he didn't know.

"That's my Lunar Cat.  And boy does she handle like a dream." Usagi said.

"Yeah I know what you mean.  The Liger Zero is the same way." Bit replied.

Luna hung her head shaking it in defeat.  The cats had just met another person a lot like Usagi.

"Oh dear lord not another one." Luna moaned.

"He can't be that bad." Artimes replied.

The entire Blitz team turned to look over at Usagi and her cats wondering if what they heard was true.  Usagi and her two companions were quite the mystery.

********

Usagi and the cats sat in the lounge of the Hovercargo going over some data from the computer of the Lunar Cat.  After calling her mother to let her know she was doing fine Usagi had decided to check the latest diagnostic readouts from the Lunar Cat.  Usagi didn't really need to go over the information from the Lunar Cat but it helped her solve a problem when she performed regular maintenance on the zoids.  And the situation concerning Stoler and the Elephander project had Usagi wondering just why the Backdraft wanted to create the massive zoid in the first place.

"I don't get it Luna why would they need to create a zoid that big in the first place?" Usagi asked.

"That's one answer I don't have right now.  We may never know until they actually use it in a battle." Luna replied.

"Well that's one bridge we'll have to worry about when we cross it." Artimes added.

Usagi decided she had enough of trying to figure out the newest Backdraft creation and decided to surf around the Zoid Net instead.  As Usagi was checking out the latest standings in Class A Leena came out of the bathroom towel drying her hair.  Leena who was miffed about what had happened to her out on the battlefield was trying to decide if it was time to trade in her Dibison.  But what would she trade it in for Leena didn't know.

"What are you doing?" Leena asked as she looked over Usagi's shoulder.

"Checking out the latest Class A info on the net from the battle commission." Usagi said.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Leena wondered.

"No go right ahead." Usagi replied as she set aside her laptop.

"I'm thinking of trading in my Dibison for a new zoid but I don't know which one to choose or if my dad will even agree to it.  What do you think?" Leena asked Usagi.

Usagi sat there for a moment going over the features for dozens of zoids in her mind comparing them to the Dibison.  Usagi could come up with a few different choices but it all came down to the Gunsniper.  With the right modifications the Gunsniper could have the artillery of the Dibison and the maneuverability of the Command Wolf.

"Did you ever consider the Gunsniper?  There are a lot of different modifications you could add to the zoid that could add the same amount of firepower as the Dibison." Usagi said.

Leena had to admit the Gunsniper Naomi had was an amazing zoid.  It was a great combination of firepower and maneuverability.  And Usagi was right the Gunsniper could take many different modifications and have the same type of firepower as one of the heavier zoids.

"Thanks I'll go talk to my dad about it now that I have an idea as to what I should get." Leena said before leaving the lounge.

********

Captain Stigma Stoler was once a great zoid warrior for the Backdraft Group.  When his impressive career had ended in retirement from the battlefield to a command position he was placed in charge of the Elephander project.  Because of the sheer size and advance controls of the Elephander Stoler needed a pilot who would be able to use the Elephander to its full potential.  The man chosen for the job was one of the best pilots of his generation in the Backdraft Group.  He was known simply as Sanders.

Sanders had walked into the command deck of the transport to see Stoler looking out the large window at the landscape before him.  Sanders had always wondered why the captain had traded in being a pilot for a command position.  Stoler had a few good years left where he could be a pilot instead Stoler left at the top of his game.

"Captain, do you miss being a pilot?" Sanders asked him.

"There are times when I do but I know I've made the right decision." Stoler replied.

"Do you know if I'll be going up against any opponents yet sir?" Sanders wanted to know.

"Actually Sanders your next opponent will be the Blitz team.  They seem to have some talent mixed in with all their luck.  The Council of Seven wants us to test the Elephander against their zoids." Stoler told him.

Sanders knew when the Council of Seven and their leader the mysterious Count handed down a decision or an order you didn't question it or try to go against it.  To do so would mean severe and serious punishment handed down by the council.

"I see.  I'll go prepare the Elephander for battle then." Sanders said before leaving for the hanger.

With Sanders gone Stoler went to issue the challenge to the Blitz team.

********

It was now or never for Leena.  If she was going to get a new zoid Leena was going to have to try and convince her father that night.  The fact that the Dibison was damaged and unusable was an added bonus that would help convince Dr. Toros Leena needed a better zoid.  Swallowing down the large nervous lump in her throat Leena walked into the command deck of the Hovercargo to talk to her father.

"Dad can we talk?" Leena asked him.

"Sure thing honey.  What do you need to see me about?" he replied.

"I'd like to trade in the Dibison for a new zoid.  I know the Dibison has great firepower but it's a slow zoid.  And that was proven today when we were attacked."

"Did you have a zoid in mind?"

"Well, I've always admired the Gunsniper Naomi has.  And there are a lot of upgrades that can be added to it to increase firepower without compromising maneuverability.  I was thinking we could benefit from a Gunsniper."

"I'm sure we can manage to get a decent Gunsniper on trade for the Dibison if that's what you really want Leena."

Just as the Doc was about to search the Zoid Net for a Gunsniper dealer with a decent price on a zoid the vid link monitor began beeping signaling an incoming transmission.  The Doc punched in the commands to receive the transmission.  On the screen was the image of a man in his forties with graying hair and serious blue eyes.  The man wasted no time and go straight to the business at hand.

"Greetings Blitz team I am Captain Stigma Stoler of the Backdraft group and I hereby challenge you to a battle against my Elephander team." Stoler said.

"We don't partake in unsanctioned battles." The Doc replied.

"I can make it worth your while and offer you five times the normal prize money if you win the battle." Stoler told him with an overly confident smirk on his face.

The Doc thought about the challenge again and the offer of five times the normal prize money made it very tempting to accept the challenge.  The Blitz team needed every single coin they could get their hands on.  The expenses were piling up and getting a new zoid for Leena was going to be difficult even with a trade in.  But if they win the match against the Elephander team they could afford to get the zoid.

"Okay we'll do it." The Doc said.

"Dad, are you crazy?" Leena asked him.

"If we win this battle we'll have enough money to get you your zoid and be able to have enough left over for repairs and upgrades on the other zoids." He told her.

"Okay if you say so." Leena commented.

********

Dinner on the Hovercargo was an uneventful affair until the Doc told the boys he had agreed to a battle between the Blitz team and the Backdraft sponsored Elephander team.  At first Brad flat out refused to take part in the battle and Jamie was worried about getting in trouble with the battle commission but once the Doc told them about the amount of money being put up for the winner and Usagi said she wouldn't tell her father about it the two agreed to take part in the battle.  Bit on the other hand didn't need any convincing to agree to take part in the battle.  The Liger pilot was always willing to battle someone.

When dinner had ended Bit had decided to give Liger the once over in order to prepare for the rematch with the Viper team.  As Bit gave the Liger a diagnostic check Usagi and the cats came into the hanger to check on the Lunar Cat and hopefully get a look at the Liger.  Usagi wanted to know if the stories she had heard about the Liger were true.

"Hey Bit.  What are you doing?" Usagi wondered.

"Just making certain Liger here is in top condition." Bit told her.

"So is it true?" Usagi asked.

"Is what true?"

"The story that's been floating around the zoid circles about the Liger being able to change into an even faster zoid."

"The Liger has a Conversion Armor System.  Changing into the Jager armor adds a lot of speed to him.  He can keep up with a Lightning Saix.  What about your zoid?"

"The Cat is fast like a Saix but she has some interesting qualities of her own.  Every time I go into battle with her I feel as though she and I are one.  We really seem to connect with one another."

"I know what you mean it's the same for me.  Liger tells me everything and I can talk to him too."

"I thought I was the only one who could communicate with their zoid."

Luna and Artimes looked at each other when they heard Bit tell Usagi he could talk with the Liger.  They had a feeling he was a lot like Usagi.  He may not be empathic but there was a good chance Bit was psychic and probably didn't realize it.

"Do you think he could be like Usagi?" Artimes asked Luna.

"There's a good possibility he just might be.  And there's also a good possibility his zoid is like the Lunar Cat." Luna replied.

"Should we tell Usagi's father about the zoid?"

"No I wouldn't say anything to him or her mother until we know more about his zoid."

Luna and Artimes looked back up at Bit and Usagi and saw the pair of zoid pilots checking out the controls of the Liger Zero.  The Liger had decided there was something about Usagi that reminded him a lot of Bit.  The large zoid allowed Usagi to climb into the cockpit and get a better look at his inner workings.  Usagi was impressed by what she saw.

"Wow this is one amazing zoid." Usagi commented.

"Well from what you've said your zoid is quite amazing too." Bit replied.

Usagi decided to change the subject and get to know Bit better.  There was something about him she liked just like the Liger.  Looking at the zoid pilot gave Usagi butterflies in her stomach and brought a slight coloration to her cheeks.

"So what do you do when you're not taking the Liger into battle?" Usagi asked him.

"Me I go around to the various battlefields and salvage zoid parts.  I fix them up and sell the ones I can't use for extra cash.  How about you?" Bit replied.

"I find the nearest rock face stuff Luna and Artimes in my pack and climb it.  That's how I found the Lunar Cat in the first place."

The two pilots then spent a good deal of the night checking out each other's zoids and learning about one another better before turning in for the night.

********

The Blitz team and the Viper team faced each other once more.  After the strange zoid had interrupted the previous attempt at a battle the two teams agreed to have a rematch.  This time however Jamie was out on the battlefield in the Pteras replacing Leena whose zoid was damaged the day before.  As the two teams faced each other the Judge pod from the battle commission's Judge Satellite came crashing down to the ground leaving a crater around it.  The pod opened and the Judge began scanning the area to establish the battlefield they would be using.  Off in the distance Usagi and the cats watched the match unfold partly because they wanted to see the Blitz team in action and partly because Usagi had a feeling the Backdraft Group's new team the Elephander team might try something during the battle.

When the Judge had finished scanning the area he turned his attention to the two teams and got the battle underway.

"The area within a six mile radius is a designated Zoid Battlefield.  This zone is now restricted.  Only competitors and personnel have authorized entry.  Danger!  All others must leave the area at once.  Area scanned.  Battlefield set up.  The Blitz team versus the Viper team.  Battle Mode 0982.  Ready…Fight!" the Judge said as he indicated each team and officially began the battle.

The battle began like any other battle.  The Viper team made the first move and started shooting at the male members of the Blitz team.  But as the Blitz team was trying to outrun the Viper team something fell from the sky.  From her vantage point Usagi saw a dark streak fall right on top of the Judge pod taking it out.  When the dust had settled a Dark Judge pod had risen out of the rubble taking over the battle.

"What the heck just happened here?" the Viper team leader wanted to know.

"I don't know but I don't like the looks of this." Brad said.

"This battle is now under the control of the Backdraft Group." The smug sounding Judge announced as more projectiles fell to the ground.

Soon the entire six-mile radius was encased in a holographic dome like structure.  The inside of the dome was then turned into a simulated night sky.  The Viper team tried to leave the dome but a large black elephant styled zoid soon stopped them.

"Hey we're not fighting in some unauthorized battle." The viper team leader complained.

The elephant zoid let off a few shots from the cannon attached to its underbelly taking out two of the Steal Vipers.  Then it fired a blast from the massive cannon on its back taking out the last of the Stealth Vipers.  The pilot inside the massive zoid smirked before moving onto his true target the Blitz team.

Usagi had seen what had happened and knew she had to do something about it.  She needed to warn the Blitz team about the Elephander.  The massive zoid packed a lot of firepower and a few other things Usagi had yet to witness.  The first order of business however was to take out the Dark Judge.  The Backdraft Group could not be allowed to take over another battle.  After the last time Usagi had run into a Backdraft run zoid team the battle commission had told her to take out the Dark Judges if they appeared on the battlefield.  Usagi was determined to follow through with her orders.

"Time to regain control of this battle guys." Usagi said as she sent the Lunar Cat towards the pod housing the Dark Judge.

The Lunar Cat raced towards the Dark Judge pod and skidded to a stop seconds before firing its energy disks at the pod destroying it and the Judge inside.

"Sorry not on my watch." Usagi said.

"Now what?" Artimes wondered.

"We wait and see what happens." Usagi told the cats.

Out of the corner of his eye Brad saw the exploding pod and the Lunar Cat standing over the rubble of both judges.

"Well that changes things." Brad commented over the vid link.

"What do you mean?" Bit wanted to know.

"This battle just became a grudge match.  Without a judge a battle is nothing more than a grudge match and I don't think the battle commission frowns upon grudge matches." Brad explained.

"Okay we weren't going to get any points anyway so let's take this guy down." Bit said.

With that Brad fired the cannons on the back of the Command Wolf at the Elephander while at the same time Bit tried to ram the zoid with the Liger.  Almost immediately a shield went up around the Elephander blocking the cannon blast.

Inside the Elephander the pilot, the man known as Sanders, sat there with a headset on waiting for the perfect moment to make his next move.

"Elephander disengage shield and deploy the Strike Iron Claw." Sanders said into the headset.

Within a matter of mere seconds the shield was dropped and a claw, resembling the kind on a crane game, came out of the front of the Elephander's trunk.  The massive zoid waited for the right moment before grabbing onto the Liger and raising him into the air and pulled him in.

Jamie saw what had happened and tried to make an attack on the Elephander.  The Pteras pilot tried deploying his missiles.  Sanders saw the missiles coming and reacted quickly.

"Elephander deploy the Hyper Energy Shield." Sanders commanded.

Within seconds of the Pteras's attack a shield went up around the Elephander stopping the attack before it could do any damage to the large zoid.  Then Sanders prepared for his own attack.

"Elephander deploy the sixty millimeter Hyper Laser Gun and the one hundred fifteen millimeter Pulse Laser Gun." Sanders commanded.

The shield on the Elephander dropped and the two cannons fired upon the Pteras taking the blue zoid out of the sky and freezing its command system.

Brad had seen what had happened and knew it was now or never if he wanted to get Bit free.  The former mercenary began firing upon the Elephander but wasn't having any luck connecting with the zoid.

"Darn that thing is too hard to get a good shot on." Brad complained over the radio link.

"Mind if we take a crack at it Brad?" Usagi asked her new friend.

"Be my guest." Brad replied this time on the vid link.

With that Usagi sent the Lunar Cat racing towards the Elephander and used her claws to slice into the Elephander's Iron Claw taking it out of commission allowing the Liger to drop to the ground.

"Thanks for the assist Usagi." Bit said.

"I'm glad to help out." Usagi replied.

The three zoids then began firing upon the Elephander.  Brad used the Command Wolf's rear mounted cannon, Bit used the belly mounted double impact cannons on the Liger, and Usagi used the Lunar Cat's energy disks.  The Elephander responded to the attacks by deploying its shield once more.

"We're never going to take that thing out if it keeps using its shields." Brad said.

"What can we do?" Bit wanted to know.

"That zoid didn't seem to fare well against a close range attack." Luna pointed out.

"That may be true but how are we going to get close enough to actually do any damage?  The Command Wolf isn't exactly built for close range combat." Brad wondered still not fully believing Usagi's cats were capable of human speech.

"You and Usagi are going to run cover while Bit tries to take down that zoid." Jamie suggested giving them a quick strategy he worked up.

"How?" Artimes was curious to know.

"With the Jager conversion the Liger should be fast enough to use its Laser Claws to take down the enemy zoid." Jamie explained.

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Bit replied.

With that the trio put Jamie's strategy to work.  Usagi and Brad began firing upon the Elephander while Bit made a mad dash for the Hovercargo.  As Bit headed for the Hovercargo he radioed the Doc and Leena to have them prepare the CAS.

"Leena, Doc I need you to get the Jager ready and fast." Bit said over the vid link.

"Will do Bit." The Doc replied.

The bay doors of the Hovercargo opened allowing Bit to return to the transport ship.  Once inside the mechanical arms came down and began removing the Liger's armor.  Once the armor was removed the large set of circular storage containers rotated to the appropriate slot and opened revealing the blue armor of the Jager system.  The mechanical arms then began equipping the Liger with the Jager system.  In a matter of minutes the Jager armor was attached to the Liger Zero.  With that the Doc's voice came over the PA system in the Hovercargo.

"Liger Zero Jager CAS complete." He said.

With the CAS complete Bit put the Liger onto the catapult system.  When the newly transformed zoid was ready Bit signaled the Doc to launch.

"Go Jager!" Bit said as the catapult thrust the Liger back onto the battlefield.

Once back on the battlefield Bit quickly headed back to the battle moving faster than before.

********

Captain Stoler watched the battle between the Blitz team and the Elephander closely.  He was interested, like the Count, to see what the Liger Zero could do in battle.  And since hearing about the new blue armor the Liger had acquired recently his curiosity had increased tenfold.  During the battle Stoler had told Sanders to use the voice command system on the Elephander.  The system was a little bit slow in response time but it was quite reliable.

At first the battle was going well and Sanders was handling the Elephander beautifully.  He had been able to evade the attacks sent by the Blitz team.  So far there had been only one setback in the battle when an unknown zoid took out the Dark Judge.  But Stoler didn't need the Judge for he was confidant Sanders could win with the Elephander.  The strange white zoid with the golden crescent soon joined the remaining members of the Blitz team and found a way to free the Liger from the Elephander's Iron Claw.  The maneuver pulled off by the cat like zoid allowed for the Blitz team to formulate some type of plan and soon the Liger was running back to the Hovercargo.  When the Liger reemerged from the Hovercargo it had acquired a new set of blue armor.  And from what Stoler had heard the blue armor would be too much for Sanders to handle if he stuck with the voice command system.

"Sanders switch to manual controls.  That blue Liger is a real fast zoid and hard to beat with the voice command's response time." Stoler ordered Sanders.

Inside the Elephander Sanders complied with the order and took off the headset he had been wearing in order to control the Elephander's weapons and other controls.

"Switching over to manual controls now." Sanders said.

********

As Bit continued to advance on the Elephander he noticed the large gun on the back of the elephant zoid point directly at him.  Noticing a nearby cliff face Bit decided to use it to catapult the Liger above the range of the gun on the Elephander.  Leaping high into the air Bit activated the rear boosters on the Liger.  Upon reaching the apex of his jump Bit activated the Strike Laser Claw attack.

"Strike Laser Claw!" he called out.

The claws on the Liger began to glow as the laser energy charged them.  Raising his fore claw the Liger came down and struck the Elephander head on.  The large gun on the Elephander broke off and the command system froze signaling its defeat.  When the Liger was on solid ground once more the zoid gave out a quick roar signaling his victory.

"Congratulations Blitz team.  That's some zoid you have there Bit." Usagi said.

"Yours is quite amazing too." Bit replied.

"Well it was great meeting you but we have to be going.  As long as the Backdraft exists my work will never be done." She told them.

With that the Lunar Cat headed off into the horizon.  Bit watched as the white feline zoid with her female pilot headed out of view.  The young warrior couldn't help but hope he would cross paths with Usagi Tsukino and her cats some day soon.  There was something about her that had him intrigued and she had a beauty and a strength about her that didn't go unnoticed by the zoid warrior.

"Goodbye Lunar warrior.  I hope we meet again someday." Bit thought aloud.

********

From his vantage point in the secret headquarters of the Backdraft Group the Count was watching the latest footage of the Liger Zero and the Lunar Cat sent to him by Captain Stoler.  The head of the Elephander project had sent the footage in along with his report on the Elephander.  The count was amazed by the speed and agility the two zoids possessed.  And the fact that the Liger could change into a blue armor that helped increase its speed was even more amazing.  The Count was quite certain the two zoids could both be Ultimate Xs.

"Liger Zero and Lunar Cat could they both be legendary Ultimate X zoids?" the Count wondered aloud in the darkened room.

********

Sanders returned to the Whale King a bit dejected.  He had been told the Elephander was an unstoppable zoid but the Liger Zero Jager had proven to be a better zoid.  The zoid pilot was determined to fight the Liger again and defeat him.  And upon entering the command deck of the Whale King Sanders was prepared to ask Stoler when he would be able to go up against the Blitz team again.  But what happened when he arrived took the pilot by surprise.

"Captain about the Blitz team." Sanders said.

"Sanders I'm thinking of coming out of retirement.  I saw what that blue Liger could do and I want a chance to face it in battle." Stoler told the young pilot.

********

Finally I finished the third episode.  First off I apologize for making you wait but my mind was on a temporary vacation in Salt Lake.  Second, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story and put me on your list of favorite authors.  I'd also like to thank the wonderful people at Channel Zi and Blue 35 for all their info on zoids and the Zoids New Century anime which is what I'm crossing over with Sailor Moon.  On Cartoon Network this would be the Zoids series that comes on at 4:30pm EST.  To avoid any more angry readers I'll try and get out as many episodes as I can over the course of the next two weeks before I go on vacation.

Now you're probably wondering about a couple of things.  The long babbling speech the Judge says before the battle with the Viper team is standard before every battle.  Most of the time in the series the part introducing the two teams and announcing the battle mode are heard so there will be times when I don't use the whole speech.  Even the Dark Judges use the standard judge speech before a battle.  The Conversion Armor System or CAS the Liger has is the series of armors and robotic arms that change the Liger between Jager, Schneider, and Panzer armors.  So when someone mentions the CAS that's what they're talking about.  The catapult on the Hovercargo is the same as the catapult on an aircraft carrier.  If you've ever seen Top Gun, JAG, or any Navy based movie with an aircraft carrier you know what I'm talking about.  The two systems are basically the same.

As for the relationship between Usagi and the Blitz team right now there's nothing more serious between Usagi and the others than a simple friendship.  Though it does look as though she's becoming infatuated with Bit and he with her.  The seeds of romance seem to be budding between the two and will blossom and bloom over time.  Usagi will have many more meetings with the Blitz team in the future.

Quick personal rant before we move on.  While I was starting this episode last week I happened to be watching the Skeleton competition during the Olympics and I happened to see someone that could be a distant relation to one Ryouga Hibiki from Ranma.  The gold medallist Jim Shea appeared to me to have his own set of fangs just like Ryouga.  I noticed it when he smiled and wondered if anyone else saw it too.

So now that Usagi and Bit have met what's next for our heroine?  The elemental zoids are finished and Usagi is called back to the Moon Corporation to meet up with her new teammates.  It's the long awaited entrance of the Inner Senshi to the zoid world.  How will the girls be different on Planet Zi and how will they react to Usagi and the cats find out in The Zoid Warrior episode four: The New Teammates.


	4. The New Teammates

The Moon Corporation had been working for over a year to develop the four new zoids the R&D department affectionately called the Elemental Zoids.  When the final design specs had been finished the zoids were immediately put in production.  With the project finally over it was time to find warriors who would be able to pilot the zoids.  And the battle commission wanted to put them to work right alongside the Lunar Cat battling against the Backdraft Group.

The Moon Corporation along with the Zoid Battle Commission searched high and low for the perfect pilots for the elemental zoids.  The pilots of the zoids needed to have a certain type of personality.  Each zoid was unique in its own way and called for the right kind of pilot.  The Snow Bear called for someone with a lot of computer know-how because it contained high tech scanning equipment, the Fire Bird called for someone who was a good aerial pilot, the Thunder Dragon called for a pilot good both on the ground as well as in the air, and the Beam Cat called for someone who was a very good shot a person a lot like the Red Comet.  Pilots like that were hard to find but they did exist.

It took the Moon Corporation a bit of time but they had found their pilots.  The four female pilots they had found were each able to bring their own talents to the mix.  Two of the four chosen were daughters of former zoid warriors while one was a mercenary and the other was the daughter of a well respected medical doctor.  All in all the team selected to work with Usagi was quite the interesting one.  And if what the battle commission and Serenity Tsukino saw was any indication the four pilots were going to fit in well with Usagi, Luna, and Artimes and the Lunar Cat.  The only thing left to do now was to wait for Usagi to return back to the Moon Corporation headquarters,

********

The Zoid Warrior

Episode Four: The New Teammates

********

Ami Mizuno had always admired her mother Ayumi.  The elder Mizuno had spent the better part of Ami's sixteen years of life as a single parent raising her daughter and treating her patients.  Ayumi was a medical doctor who traveled from village to village in her Gustav treating her patients.  And while she could have stayed in Suisei City running her own practice or working in the hospital Ayumi preferred to travel between the villages with her daughter in tow.  Ami had learned a lot about zoids and the different tribes on Zi growing up on the road.

Ami had loved growing up on the road and had a strange need to become a warrior before perusing her ultimate goal.  Someday Ami was going to be like her mother and go from village to village taking care of the people who lived there.  But Ami was interested in much more than medicine she was also a great computer whiz and an armature inventor.  Ami had used her vast knowledge to create a handheld microcomputer that was somehow able to interface with the operating system of almost any zoid.  And it was this intelligence that had attracted both the Moon Corporation and the battle commission to her.

Ami had been in Suisei City on several occasions before but she was not used to city life.  Ami was more comfortable out on the road with her mother.  This was going to be the first time Ami would be away from her mother and Ayumi knew this would be good for Ami.  The young genius needed to interact with people closer to her own age than spending all of her time with her mother and the mechanics she seemed to associate with.  Ayumi had decided to use her daughter's opportunity to head back to the city and stock up on the supplies she would need out in the countryside.

"I want you to promise me you will be safe out there and don't rush off head first looking for danger." Ayumi said to her only child.

"Don't worry mom I promise you I'll be careful out there." Ami replied.

With that Ami gave her mom one last hug before heading into the headquarters of the Moon Corporation to meet her new teammates.

********

Rei Hino was the daughter of a prominent politician in Suisei City yet she didn't live with him.  Ever since her mother had died when she was only six Rei's father had left her care and upbringing to her grandfather.  At one point in his life her father was a zoid warrior but he gave up a life on the battlefield for a life in the political arena.  In fact, Rei's father never liked to talk about his former life as a zoid warrior.  Rei had learned of her father's past exploits from her grandfather.

Rei's grandfather, Hitoshi Hino, ran a small shrine on the outskirts of Suisei City known as the Kasei Temple.  The temple was created in honor of a great zoid that once roamed the countryside of Zi.  The almost religious beliefs of the people who maintained the temple were centered on a type of zoid known as the Ultimate X.  Hitoshi believed that one day a great zoid would appear with immense power.  This zoid would be permanently fused with an organoid and would be a living robotic creature.  The zoid would be able to bond with a warrior but not just any warrior a warrior with psychic abilities.  There were few individuals on Zi blessed with this ability and Rei just happened to be one.

From the moment Rei was able to walk and talk Hitoshi knew his granddaughter was blessed with psychic abilities.  He knew they weren't very strong but he hoped that with the proper training Rei would one day be able to bond with the great Ultimate X zoid.  The ancient prophecies that were the foundation of his beliefs had predicted that one day an Ultimate X would appear and save Zi from a great evil.  This zoid would be faster and stronger than any other zoid out there and only one with gifts such as Rei's would be able to pilot such a zoid.  Hitoshi believed Rei was that person.

The day Hitoshi's son-in-law had dropped off his granddaughter upon his doorstep four days after his own daughter's funeral Hitoshi had decided to train Rei to use her abilities both in and out of a zoid.  Rei soon learned that a zoid was merely an extension of her own body and grew up believing the same things her grandfather did.  Over time Rei became a very competent zoid pilot and a strong psychic using the meditation techniques and martial arts her grandfather had taught her to increase her psychic strength.  And when the battle commission had heard about the rumors of the young girl living at the temple they had to see for themselves if the stories were true.  Once they confirmed them the battle commission told the Moon Corporation about Rei and it was decided to add her to their growing little team of warriors.  Rei was soon given an invitation to go to the Moon Corporation for the opportunity of a lifetime.  Hitoshi told his granddaughter to accept the invitation because he knew she would come in contact with the Ultimate X and her ultimate destiny in life.

********

The Desert Alcovalito Gang was a group of bandits that roamed the desert going from village to village leaving destruction in their wake.  The people of the desert villages feared the Desert Alcovalito Gang and would do anything to ensure they would not pillage and plunder their homes.  But no matter what the villagers tried to do the Alcovalitos would always leave a reminder of their power by destroying a few homes in each village.

The Alcovalitos were a menacing threat in their Diloforce zoids.  The gang of bandits would use the leg and tail mounted blades along with the alloy claws to rip and tear apart buildings in the villages they ransacked and on occasion they would even use the particle cannon mounted in the mouth of the zoid.  The Alcovalitos had a reputation for leaving death and destruction in their wake.  And five years ago one of their raids had left a young woman without a family.

Makoto Kino was only eleven when the Desert Alcovalito Gang had descended upon the Mokusei Village.  Her father was a zoid pilot driving a Gustav transporting supplies between the different villages.  It was a lonely job but it was something he enjoyed.  It was during one of his layovers when the Alcovalito Gang came to Mokusei.  The gang had demanded money and supplies from the villagers and Makoto's father along with a few of the younger members if the village tried to stand up to them.  The Alcovalitos decided to make an example of them and went about destroying their homes.  Makoto's mother had been at home when the attacks began and her father had desperately tried to get her out in time.  But his effort would be in vain because in one of their rare instances the Alcovalitos used their particle cannons on the Kino home destroying it and the elder members of the Kino family leaving Makoto an orphan.

Makoto was considered lucky that day by the other members of the village.  She had been out with her best friend Shinozaki in the nearby mountains messing around and had missed the entire incident.  When she returned home with Shinozaki his family met them and took it upon themselves to give her the grim news of her parents' death.  They had even offered to let Makoto stay with them.  For the next three weeks Makoto mourned the death of her parents and locked herself in the guest room of Shinozaki's house.  When she finally did rejoin the world Makoto was like an entirely different person.  She had become distant and closed off from society and would snap at anyone who tried to get close to her.  Makoto didn't mind living with Shinozaki and his family she just didn't like to be reminded of the fact that her parents were taken away from her by an attack from the Desert Alcovalito Gang everyday.

As the years went on Makoto started to run away from home for days at a time and get into fights with the other kids in the village.  Makoto had even gotten in trouble with the village elders when she "borrowed" a Gustav belonging to one of the villagers.  Shinozaki's family didn't know what to do with her and as Makoto got older the problems became increasingly worse.  By the time Makoto had turned fifteen she had left Mokusei for good swiping an unused Guysack and for some reason she had the strange need to go to Suisei City.

Over the course of her year long trek to Suisei Makoto had made a reputation for herself as someone who would fight anyone anywhere.  The young woman didn't care what type of zoid they had or how skilled they were she just wanted to fight.  Somewhere in the back of her mind Makoto had vowed that she would become a great warrior and take out the Desert Alcovalito Gang on her own.

Makoto had caught the attention of the battle commission when she had taken out a small group of thieves who enjoyed pilfering zoids for their own.  She had stopped them from swiping Gustav transporting a Gordos and had ended up loosing her zoid in the process.  The Rangers had come and carted the thieves off to jail and the appreciative transporter offered to take her to Suisei where a representative of the battle commission made Makoto an offer she couldn't refuse in appreciation for what she had done.  Makoto would soon go from being a loner with very little friends to a member of an actual team.

********

Like Usagi Minako Aino had grown up around zoids her entire life.  Minako's father was a zoid warrior and had moved into the zoid dealership business when Minako was nine.  For seven years Ryoku Aino had built up a reputable dealership in the town of Kinsei just outside the eastern boundaries of Suisei City.  Kinsei was a peaceful little town and Minako was happy growing up there with her parents.

The battle commission and the Moon Corporation knew all about Ryoku Aino.  The commission knew of him from his prior battles in the official league and the Moon Corporation knew about him from doing business with his dealership.  The Moon Corporation supplied the small zoid dealer with the zoids and components he would sell to the different zoid teams.  His most loyal customers happened to belong to the infamous Champ family.  The son Harry and his two robotic companions often placed many orders with him for zoids and zoid components.  Often he and Minako would spend hours together filling the orders.  It was something the father and daughter loved doing.  Minako learned a lot from her father and wanted to be just like him one day.

Minako knew if she were to follow in her father's footsteps she would one day have to leave home and become a zoid warrior.  It was what her father had done when he was a couple of years older than she was.  With luck Minako would then be able to join a zoid team and work her way up the ranks becoming a competent and respected warrior like her father.  And if she chose Minako could even attend the prestigious Zoid Academy learning all about what makes a zoid tick before one day taking over the dealership when her father chose to retire.

Both the commission and the Moon Corporation had tried to get Ryoku back in the cockpit of a zoid.  They had told him all about a new zoid developed by the Moon Corporation that would fair well against any challenger but the former warrior had politely turned them down saying his days as a zoid warrior were over with.  However, Ryoku didn't end the conversation without telling them about his daughter Minako.  She was as he put it a very good pilot in her own right and knew the workings of a zoid inside and out.  He had been teaching her a thing or two about piloting zoids in his old Gordos.  Minako had proven to be a quick study and Ryoku knew there was something about his daughter that would prove useful to the battle commission and the Moon Corporation for whatever they had planned.  The commission and the Moon Corporation took his suggestion and wanted to see Minako in person.  If they couldn't have Ryoku than they would get the next best thing a second-generation zoid pilot who happened to be his very own daughter.  And so Minako was off to Suisei City and life as a zoid warrior.

********

Usagi couldn't wait to go home.  It wasn't that she didn't like life on the open road it was just that it could get lonely sometimes with just Luna and Artimes around for companionship.  Usagi wanted to be around more people all the time again.  She missed being with the Sol team and the feeling of having other people around.  Usagi missed having a roof over her head every night.  And when her mother had told Usagi the pilots for the new zoids had been found Usagi was more than happy to take a break from following the Backdraft Group and their Whale King, known as the Battlejack, around.

After being on her own for three months Usagi was ready for some constant interaction with other humans on a daily basis.  The support from the zoids the boys in R&D at her mother's company had designed would be greatly appreciated.  Usagi didn't know how long she could handle the Backdraft Group on her own.  But it wasn't just the new teammates that she would be receiving that her mother had wanted her to see.  Ever since the guys in R&D had first laid eyes on the Lunar Cat they were developing interchangeable parts and weapons.  And now they had something similar to the CAS on the Hovercargo.

Usagi was both impressed and surprised by what the R&D department and her mother had come up with for both the Lunar Cat and the other zoids they built.  The White Moon transport was a large cargo zoid with hover capabilities that resembled an oversized insect.  The transport was modeled after the Hovercargo used by the Blitz team and was mostly white with red and blue accents.  The White Moon was equipped with a fully stocked maintenance deck, living quarters, hanger, and a command deck.  Like the Hovercargo the White Moon had a shield system and several laser cannons for defensive purposes.  All in all the transport was the perfect way to get around the countryside of Zi.

The moment Usagi had arrived at the Moon Corporation headquarters Serenity wanted to show her daughter the new components for the Lunar Cat.  The rear cannon on the Lunar Cat was interchangeable and the R&D department had come up with a new cannon that was more focused and more powerful than the Kaleidoscope cannon.  The Moon Beam cannon was capable of firing a concentrated energy blast something that had not been attempted with zoid weaponry in recent recorded zoid history.

Along with the new cannon the boys in R&D had designed an interchangeable armor system for the Lunar Cat.  They had been looking for ways to increase the strength of the Lunar Cat without compromising the speed she already had.  The Crystal system they had developed worked in unison with the Moon Beam cannon.  The armor helped tremendously in close ranged combat by adding retractable blades to the Lunar Cat similar to the ones found on the Blade Liger.  The blades on the Crystal armor were called the Moon Blades and could be charged with energy similar to the claws on the Liger Zero.

Ever since coming into contact with the Lunar Cat Usagi could feel a distinct personality coming from the zoid.  It felt as though the Lunar Cat were female in some way.  Usagi had remembered how Bit Cloud would always refer to his zoid as if it were alive calling him Liger.  For some time since meeting the zoid pilot Usagi had been racking her brains in her spar time as to what she would name the Lunar Cat.  The female zoid soon settled upon calling the Lunar Cat Selene after the ancient goddess of the moon.

********

Ami sat in the small conference room watching the three other young women in the room.  She had dressed conservatively wearing a white tunic under a light blue sleeveless vest and matching pants.  The girl with the long raven colored hair and violet eyes was dressed in a red satin t-shirt with elbow length sleeves and matching hip hugging pants and fingerless driving gloves.  She was currently sitting in one corner of the room with her eyes closed in a meditative state.  The brunette with the ponytail and green eyes was wearing a green sleeveless mock neck shirt and dark green jeans.  She sat in another corner of the room with her arms folded across her chest watching the others with a suspicious nature in her eyes.  The final occupant of the small room was a blonde with blue eyes and big red bow had on a cropped orange hooded top with elbow length sleeves and blue low rise pants.  She had an excited look in her eyes as she kept looking from the door to the other occupants in the room wondering when they were going to get their zoids and the full tour of the place.

As the four young women sat in the conference room the door finally opened and woman with reddish brown eyes and dark green hair came into the room.  She was dressed in a garnet red shirt and black pants and carried a clipboard with her.  After looking at the clipboard for a moment she cleared her throat in order to get the attention of the four occupants of the small conference room.

"Good morning ladies.  My name is Setsuna Meiou and I have been asked to introduce you to your new zoids." Setsuna said, "Now you all have been briefed as to why you are here and what your job would entail.  So without further ado why don't we get to know a bit about each other before moving on."

The girls looked at each other wondering who would go first.  After a few brief moments of silence Ami decided she would volunteer to go first.

"My name is Ami Mizuno and my mother runs a mobile medical practice traveling to the various small villages offering her services and someday I hope to follow in her footsteps.  I'm quite proficient with computers and other electrical systems.  I hope the four of us will one day be close friends." Ami said.

The blonde, Minako, saw the other two were a tad bit reluctant to go next and decided to get her turn over with early.

"Hey there I'm Minako Aino.  My dad was once a zoid warrior but now he runs his own Gunsniper dealership and someday I hope to take that over when he retires.  I've been around zoids all my life and know their internal systems inside and out.  That's pretty much it.  Oh except that I'm a sucker for romance and have been known to fix people up." Minako said.

The raven haired girl, Rei, stood up and took a calming breath before taking her turn.

"My name is Rei Hino and unlike Ami and Minako I do not live with any of my biological parents.  My father is a politician in the city and a former zoid warrior and I live with my grandfather at his temple outside the city.  I have been blessed with psychic abilities and have been training with my grandfather in order to make them stronger.  Our temple is based upon the ancient prophecies of the Ultimate X zoid.  It is believed that it is my destiny to pilot such a zoid and I have been training for this almost my entire life." Rei told them.

With that Rei sat down and waited with the others for the brunette to take her turn.  After a few moments of silence Setsuna looked at her clipboard before addressing the girls.

"Makoto I believe it's your turn to tell the others about yourself." Setsuna said.

With a sigh Makoto reluctantly stood up and crossed her arms over her chest before addressing the other girls in the room.

"Fine if you must know my name is Makoto Kino and I have no parents to speak of.  They were killed by some bandits who terrorize my village.  For the past year I've been on my own looking out for number one while trying to find that desert scum so I can get them back for killing my parents.  If you don't bother me then I won't bother you.  Just let me do I what I need to do to get the job done and we'll get along just fine." Makoto said before slumping back into her chair.

"Thank you Makoto.  Okay now that we've been properly introduced I'd like to show you to your new zoids so you may get better acquainted with them." Setsuna told them.

With that the girls followed Setsuna out of the conference room to the hanger to finally receive their zoids and meet the final members of their team.

********

The hanger in the main building of the Moon Corporation was humongous.  The girls had never seen anything quite like it in their lives.  Even Minako whose father owned a Gunsniper dealership had not seen a hanger that large before.  Inside the hanger were five zoids the likes of which the girls had not seen before.  The girls stared at the zoids awestruck by what they saw.

The first zoid looked like a large white bear with blue eyes.  Mounted on its back was what appeared to be a forty millimeter cannon.  The second zoid looked like a red Raynos and had more of a birdlike quality to it.  Attached to its underside was what looked like another forty millimeter cannon.  The third zoid could have been easily mistaken for a Redler if not for the fact that the head of the zoid looked nothing like the one found on the Redler.  The dark green zoid had wings that folded on the side and a pair of blades on the tail.  Inside the mouth of the zoid was a small cannon about the size of the riffle found on the Pteras.  The fourth zoid was an orange and white Hellcat looking zoid with double thirty millimeter cannons mounted on the back.  The last zoid sat off on its own and looked like a white Lightning Saix.  On its back was a single forty millimeter cannon and on the sides were two raised slotted panels.  But the strangest part about the zoid was the crescent mark on the head of the zoid.

Setsuna flipped through the pages of notes on her clipboard before addressing the girls.  She didn't have to give them a tour of the hanger but since she and the Sol team were in the city to have the maintenance crew at the Moon Corporation give their zoids a routine checkup she volunteered to do the job.  It was the least she felt she could do for her friend Serenity.

"Ladies may I introduce to you what the boys in R&D affectionately call the elemental zoids." Setsuna said, "You will be working with these zoids in your mission to monitor and control Backdraft activity.  Each zoid has a unique set of weaponry I'm certain you'll find interesting.  The first zoid on our little tour is the Snow Bear.  She is capable of both land based and aquatic battle.  Mounted on her back is the Ice Beam cannon.  It does as the name implies and fires a frozen energy beam.  The claws on the paws can also be used for close range combat.  This zoid will be piloted by Ami Mizuno.

"This next zoid is the Fire Bird.  Built for aerial combat the Fire Bird has a belly mounted fire cannon and can be fitted with conventional missiles if needed.  Rei Hino will be the pilot for this zoid.  Our third zoid is called the Thunder Dragon.  Its basic design was modeled after the Redler with a few modifications here and there.  It can handle aerial and land based combat and is equipped with two blades mounted on the tail and an electromagnetic cannon inside the mouth.  Both the commission and the President of the Moon Corporation feel the best pilot for this zoid is Makoto Kino.

"And that leaves us with your zoid Minako.  The Beam Cat is equipped with a double barrel beam cannon on its back.  And while it may have been designed after the Hellcat that's where the differences end.  The Beam Cat's alloy claws also make it a good zoid in close range combat.  And that's pretty much it for your zoids.  I'll let you get acquainted with them before giving you a tour of the White Moon hover transport you'll be living in during your mission." Setsuna said.

Setsuna was about to leave the hanger and go check on Hotaru and the others when one of the girls stopped her to inquire about the fifth zoid in the hanger.

"Wait Setsuna before you go what about that zoid with the strange mark over there?" Minako said asking the question on the minds of the girls.

"That zoid already has a partner.  She's been paired up with the daughter of the president of the Moon Corporation for some time now.  I don't have anything in my notes about that zoid.  The only thing I know about it is that she calls it the Lunar Cat.  For some strange reason she insists that zoid has a personality all her own or so she says.  You'll be working with her and her two companions.  They should be meeting up with you real soon." Setsuna told them.

The moment Setsuna finished her explanation the canopy on the Lunar Cat opened and a young woman hopped out.  She had blonde hair in a braided double bun style and blue eyes and was dressed in a pink cropped sleeveless Chinese style top and matching hip hugging leather pants.  A few moments after she had exited the Lunar Cat two cats one black and one white hopped down from the cockpit onto her shoulders.  Both cats had matching crescent moons on their heads just like the zoid.  The girls stared at the trio wondering just who they were.

"Hey you must be the new pilots.  The name's Usagi Tsukino and the two furballs on my shoulders are Luna and Artimes my cats.  That's my partner behind me.  I named her Selene.  She seems to like the name.  She's the Lunar Cat and she's one heck of a zoid." Usagi said with a huge smile on her face, "We take things from here Setsuna.  Why don't you go and check on Hotaru and the others."

Setsuna gave Usagi a nod before exiting the hanger to check on Hotaru and the Sol team.  When the older woman had left the hanger Usagi turned to the others smile still plastered on her face and her eyes bright and cheery with a twinkle in them.  A few moments later the smile faded and a serious look replaced it.  The girls didn't know what to make of it.  One moment Usagi was happy as a lark and the next moment she was all business.

"Alright now that the formalities are out of the way we can get down to business.  Now I won't sugar coat this because this isn't going to be like the sanctioned battles you may be used to.  Our mission is to protect the battlefield from the threat of the Backdraft Group and their illegal activities.  They threaten to take down the Zoid Battle Commission and destroy the very essence of zoid battles." Usagi said.

"The Backdraft Group who are they?" Ami wondered.

"The Backdraft Group is an organization that employs illegal tactics to take over zoid battles and destroy Judge Pods.  They'll stop at nothing to achieve their goals.  They have an army of zoids and a vast amount of resources and scientific knowledge at their disposal.  They're constantly developing new technologies and zoids to further their goals." Usagi explained.

"How in the world are we supposed to stop them?" Minako asked.

"The five of you are to continue doing what Usagi has already been doing.  You will run surveillance on the Backdraft and follow their Battlejack onto the battlefield.  If they try and take over a battle then it will be your job to stop their zoids and take out their Dark Judge.  You are to protect the teams and the Judge pods at all costs.  Ultimately you take your orders from the Zoid Battle Commission what they say goes." Luna told her.

The girls stared at Luna in shock.  They found it hard to believe that the black cat on Usagi's shoulder actually talked to them.

"Did that cat just talk?" Ami asked quite amazed at what she had heard.

"Artimes and I are quite capable of human speech.  Now then shall we show the girls the rest of the stops on Setsuna's tour." Luna replied.

"Alright and along the way we can learn a bit about each other." Usagi added.

Usagi had a feeling she was going to enjoy working with the girls and one way or another she was going to make each and every one of them her friends.

********

The Council of Seven was meeting once again.  The large video screens floated in front of the man known only as the Count with the faces of the men and women who ran the Backdraft Group wearing dark wrap around glasses to hide their identity.  They were angry over recent situations involving both the Gold team and the Elephander.  In both instances they were taken down by the Liger Zero.  But each time they had faced the Liger the Backdraft had also run into a zoid they had never seen before.  The zoid resembled a white Lightning Saix but the zoid had a distinguishing mark on its canopy.  The Backdraft's intelligence found out after some digging around that zoid was the Lunar Cat registered with the Moon Corporation.  The Count was beginning to strongly believe that both zoids were Ultimate X types.  And one way or another the Backdraft Group was determined to have one for their own.

"That Lunar Cat is beginning to become a thorn in our side.  Even if it is an Ultimate X that zoid is threatening everything we've worked so hard for." The Count complained.

"If it does turn out to be an Ultimate X then we must have the zoid in our arsenal." One council member said.

"Yes but does that mean we give up on the Liger Zero?  That zoid has incredible strength and speed." Another council member wanted to know.

"No we do not give up in our pursuit of the Liger Zero.  I want both of those zoids.  With the Liger Zero and that Lunar Cat in our possession the Zoid Battle Commission will not know what hit them." The Count told the Council.

With that the council members each gave their affirmation through a series of grunts and nods and other signs of approval.

********

Yea I finally finished episode four.  Okay so it isn't as interesting as the other chapters but this is a transition chapter introducing the Inners to the zoid world.  Before I go any farther I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing my story.  I'd also like to thank the people at the Online English to Japanese Dictionary, Channel Zi, and Blue 35 for all the info on the Zoids line and anime.  Without them I'd have a heck of a time writing this story.  Now I hate to disappoint all of you but this will be the last update I'll post for a bit.  I'm going to be visiting my parents this week and I don't want to start an episode on the computer and not be able to finish it.  I'll be working on the next episode on paper while on vacation before putting on disk and the site.

Before I explain what's what in this episode I thought I'd pass along a couple of stories I saw on the site and pose a question.  The first story I ran across I wanted to recommend is called 'What You Wouldn't Expect' by Van Lover.  It's a Dragon Ball Z fic that asks the question 'What would happen if Videl went with Gohan to face Babiddi'.  It's currently over forty chapters long and rated NC17 for some adult themes and content in later chapters.  I highly recommend it.  The second story happens to be the second zoids crossover other than this one I've come across.  It's called 'The Sorcerer' by Foxgrad.  It's a 2nd Bet fic that attempts to fuse the cast of Ranma into the zoids world.  Here Ranma is the Bit character in the story and the Tendos are the Blitz team or a reasonable facsimile there of.  Ranma travels around Zi in his zoid he calls Ranko and she's an Ultimate X.  Which brings me to my question just what is the 2nd Bet anyway?  If anyone knows what this whole 2nd Bet thing is then e-mail me where I can find some info on it.  I've seen it referenced a lot in the Ranma section on the site and one of my favorite stories is a Bet fic.  If I knew what the Bet was then I would be able to understand what was going on.

Now then did you all notice a running theme in the story?  The names of the places where the Inners lived before meeting one another have a connection to the Senshi world and you don't need the online dictionary to translate them.  Each new passage about one of the inners contained the Japanese name for the planet they represent.  Match the Inner with their planet and you have the translations of the names of the city, town, village, and temple they live in.  I thought it would make things interesting.

Suisei City in this story is the large unnamed city in zoids where all the warriors are shown sitting around in the large food court watching the zoid matches on the large screen monitor.  It's the place where Naomi and Leon are shown watching the Blitz team in later episodes of the series.  I named it after the Japanese word for the planet Mercury.  I had Rei's estranged politician father at one time be zoid warrior making Rei a second generation zoid warrior although her father no longer wants to have anything to do with her or zoids.  The temple Rei resides at is run by Grandpa Hino.  Hitoshi was a name I gave him in one of my prior stories though I can't remember which one.  The idea for them to have a belief system based on the Ultimate X was inspired by an episode where the Backdraft higher ups are at the ruins of an old temple to meet up with one of their associates.

For Makoto I had to come up with a different situation for her parents to die.  The Alcovalito gang is actually in the first zoids series and I used them as the villainous scum who kill Makoto's parents.  Makoto grows up a troubled youth and of course gets in fights and steals and runs away.  She has a bit of a vendetta and wants to get revenge for her parents' death.  She's going to be a tough nut for Usagi to crack but she'll make Makoto her friend eventually.  Minako is like Rei in the fact that she's a second generation warrior.  Her father runs the Gunsniper dealership the Blitz team and Naomi go to so of course we'll see more of Ryoku Aino.  Minako hopes to someday be just like her father and run the dealership.

So what's next for our little band of zoid warriors?  The girls pay a visit to Minako's family and while they're there they run into none other than Bit, Brad, Leena, and Naomi.  But their visit isn't going to be a peaceful one.  It seems the Desert Stingrays like causing trouble for the town and our heroes.  How will the girls and the Blitz team handle things and will Naomi come out of this without a scratch.  Find out who has the better Gunsniper in The Zoid Warrior episode five: Battle in the Desert.


	5. Battle in the Desert

The White Moon had been traveling the Zi countryside for a little over a week since the girls had taken control.  The Backdraft activity had been nonexistent since the last time Usagi had seen the Blitz team.  It seemed odd to Usagi that the Backdraft wasn't trying to steal zoids or take over battles.  The girls, or at least most of them, were glad for the break and took full advantage of it.  And so when the White Moon came to the large desert town of Kinsei Minako suggested they spend a couple of days with her family at her father's Gunsniper dealership.

"You guys will like my dad.  He's a real great guy.  He gets some of the parts he sells from your mom's company Usagi.  Hopefully he'll be done with that custom order he was working on when I left.  It's a trade in for a Dibison plus extra for custom components." Minako had told them.

Usagi had heard what Minako had said and knew exactly who she was referring to.  She had suggested the Gunsniper to Leena Toros and told her they could be outfitted with custom parts to add firepower.  Leena was a sucker for firepower.

"Why not, we just might run into the person who placed that order.  In fact, I suggested she get the Gunsniper.  I just didn't think she'd actually take me up on it." Usagi commented.

With that the White Moon headed to the Aino Gunsniper dealership in the town of Kinsei where Minako came from.

********

The Zoid Warrior

Episode Five: Battle in the Desert

********

When the Blitz team had defeated the Backdraft's Elephander they put the money they earned to good use.  Brad had set his aside for whatever future use he had in mind while the Doc used his to keep the Hovercargo running.  Jamie, like Brad, had set his aside for future use.  It was Bit and Leena who saw their shares come and go in the blink of an eye.  Leena had planned on using her money to get some upgrades on her new Gunsniper.  And of course Bit's share went to paying off his enormous acquired when he signed for the Liger's new parts.

With Leena out of the action for a while the Blitz team was forced to take some time off.  And when word came form the Aino Gunsniper dealership in Kinsei the Gunsniper Leena had ordered was ready the Blitz team, especially Leena, couldn't wait to get back into action.  The trek from the Toros ranch to Kinsei would take the Hovercargo a couple of days and Ryoku Aino had factored that in when he told Doc Toros Leena's Gunsniper was ready.  By the time the Blitz team reached Kinsei the zoid would actually be ready.

Kinsei was a small frontier town that was home to the premier Gunsniper dealership on Zi.  Ryoku Aino was well respected in the zoid community.  In fact, he was so well respected one of his best customers was the Red Comet herself Naomi Fluegle.  The Gunsniper Leena had ordered from Ryoku was a custom job loaded with firepower.  The zoid was to have two Wild Weasel units, a mess of machine guns, and a stabilizing unit.  Leena loved firepower and the custom Gunsniper was a great way to show it.

The day after the Blitz team were to pick up Leena's Gunsniper a battle royale was going to take place in Tempstown a fairly large village that was a five hour ride from Kinsei.  Doc Toros had entered the Blitz team in the battle royale because they could use the individual hit points and the prize money as well as a chance to use Leena's new zoid in a battle.  This was going to be the first battle since the incident with the Backdraft and their Elephander.

"Well everyone here we are at Kinsei home of the best Gunsniper dealer around.  Leena's Gunsniper should be ready by now.  Why don't you take the jeep and head into town to go pick up your zoid." The Doc said upon reaching Kinsei.

"Why don't I go with you." Brad offered.

"Thanks Brad." Leena replied.

Brad and Leena were about to leave when Bit invited himself along.

"Mind if I tag along guys." Bit said.

"Sure why not." Brad replied.

With that the three members of the Blitz team headed for Kinsei and the Aino Gunsniper dealership.

The Gunsniper dealership was one of the larger buildings in Kinsei.  Its most distinguishing feature was the large Gunsniper logo on the side.  In fact, it was the Gunsniper dealership that made Kinsei what it was.  Everyone came from the far reaches of the planet to purchase a Gunsniper from Ryoku Aino.  The Aino dealership had the best Gunsnipers around custom or standard.  And the Gunsnipers came from the Moon Corporation in Suisei.

The trio pulled into the dealership and noticed two vehicles near the large building.  One was a simple grey and red Gustav with a transport trailer attached to it while the other looked like a large transport ship in the shades of blue, white, and red.  The three members of the Blitz team wondered who else was at the dealer that day.  Ryoku Aino appeared to be a very popular man that day.

********

Minako hadn't been away from home for more than a week when she began to miss her family.  The suggestion to see her dad's dealership was more for her benefit than to show the girls where she grew up.  Wanting to surprise her parents Minako didn't mention the girls would be visiting Kinsei.  Ryoku and his wife Kimiko were quite surprised when Minako walked into the door of the Gunsniper dealership.  And five minutes after she had returned home Minako was promptly put to work.  For the Ainos it was as if nothing had changed.

Right away Minako was helping her father put the finishing touches on the custom Gunsniper she had mentioned.  The new owner had brought in a banged up but repairable Dibison to trade for the Gunsniper and then made a sizable payment for the upgrades.  The custom job wasn't the only work Ryoku had.  Naomi Fluegle had called to say she was going to bring in her red Gunsniper for a quick tune-up, maintenance check, and new ammunition before the upcoming battle royale.  Minako enjoyed when Naomi came into town.

At the same time Naomi was in town getting her Gunsniper ready for the battle royale a trio of zoid warriors had come to pick up the custom job Ryoku had been working on.  This was the first time the zoid dealer would meet the warriors of the Blitz team.  Ryoku had dealt with Dr. Toros when the order was placed and now he was about to meet his daughter Leena.

Leena and her teammates Bit and Brad walked into the front room of the dealership to find it empty.  There were parts and components for all kinds of zoids in the cases as well as ammunition and anti-zoid rifles.  On top of the display case that substituted for a counter was a sign instructing then to push a button for service.  Upon seeing the sign Bit pressed a small doorbell sized button on a pole next to the front counter.  A few short moments later a man with sandy blonde hair came to the front room.

"Can I help you?" he asked them.

"We're here to pick up a zoid for Toros and Company." Leena told him.

"Ah yes, the custom Gunsniper.  If you will follow me." He replied.

With that he led the trio into the hanger where he kept the Gunsnipers he sold and worked on.  Inside the hanger the small group saw six women near a familiar red Gunsniper.  In the group were two blondes, two brunettes, a raven haired young woman, and a girl with dark blue hair.  The Blitz team trio instantly recognized two individuals in the small group Usagi and Naomi Fluegle.

"Naomi what are you doing here?" Brad wondered.

"I'm getting some maintenance work done on my Gunsniper and Ryoku Aino has the best shop around.  I need some upgrades if I'm going to compete in the Battle Royale tomorrow." Naomi told him.

"Well we're picking up my new Gunsniper so we can enter the Battle Royale tomorrow too." Leena said.

As the Blitz team members talked with Naomi the second blonde in the group turned to face the Red Comet.

"Your Gunsniper's ready to go Naomi.  The upgraded targeting system should work like a charm and I fixed the hydraulics on your chair." The blonde with the red bow said.

"Thanks Minako I'm glad you decided to pay your parents a visit.  When I heard you had left home I was kind of disappointed that I wouldn't see you this time around." Naomi replied.

Bit left the two gabbing friends and walked over to where Usagi stood near the red Gunsniper.  He was curious as to why the female zoid pilot was in Kinsei and what she had been up to since he last saw her.  For some reason he couldn't figure out yet Bit couldn't stop thinking about Usagi and her two cats.

"So what brings you here?" Bit asked her.

"Bit it's good to see you again." Usagi said, "To answer your question I came with Minako to see her parents."

The young zoid warrior was intrigued as to how Usagi met up with Minako and who the other girls were.

"So how did you two meet?" he wondered.

"My parents hired her and the others to do some work for the battle commission.  Actually they're working with me.  My mom's company had developed some new zoids and the girls were hired by my dad and the commission to pilot them." Usagi explained, "What about you guys?"

"Like we said Leena's picking up her new zoid so we can take part in the Battle Royale tomorrow.  It'll be our first battle since the Elephander incident." Bit told her.

A few moments after Bit and Usagi began their conversation Minako's father, Ryoku, came into the hanger clipboard in hand and went over to talk to Leena and Naomi about their Gunsnipers.

"Okay ladies your Gunsnipers are ready.  Naomi Minako probably told you what was done to yours so there's no need to discuss that any further." Ryoku said, "Now then as for you Ms. Toros besides the standard features I've installed two Wild Weasel units, an upgraded targeting system, two thirty millimeter machine guns, and two thirty millimeter rifles.  There is a stabilizing unit included that you'll need to install yourself but that shouldn't take too long.  Once you two complete the necessary paperwork you can be on your way."

Ryoku then handed the clipboards to Minako who motioned for the two female zoid warriors to follow her to the front store of the dealership so they could fill out the proper paperwork for the zoids.  Usagi, Bit, and Brad were close behind the trio.

As the two zoid warriors filled out the forms Bit and Brad looked over the display cases full of anti-zoid rifles and ammunition and other zoid accessories.  When the girls finished signing their names nest to the X on the bottom of the papers two Sinkers one blue and one yellow came zooming through town.  The two zoids were going so fast they broke the sound barrier and the windows on the front shop.

"What in the world was that?" Brad wondered.

"That was a local gang called the Sand Stingrays.  They're a bunch of punks that get a thrill out of trashing local businesses." Minako explained.

"Someone has to put a stop to them." Leena said.

"I'll go.  My zoid is ready." Naomi volunteered before heading to the hanger.

"I'll back you up.  Selene is in the hanger too." Usagi offered.

With that the two pilots headed to the hanger to mobilize their zoids.  As they did Brad turned to face Minako and asked to borrow a Gunsniper.

"Let me take out a Gunsniper to give them backup." Brad asked.

"Sorry no can do.  This is a dealership not a rental agency.  Besides dad would kill me if I gave you one." Minako said.

"Then how much for that anti-zoid rifle back there?" Brad wanted to know pointing to one on a rack behind Minako.

"Listen if you can bring it back in one piece you won't have to pay for it.  Bit I'll still need to charge you for the shells." Minako said as she handed Brad the gun.

With that Bit and Brad headed for the jeep rifle in hand to help Usagi and Naomi.

********

Usagi and Naomi were following the pair of Sinkers to the outskirts of Kinsei.  When the others had heard about the Sand Stingrays they insisted on doing something to help.  But after much convincing and holding down a teammate the girls figured it would be quicker and easier for Usagi and Naomi to handle things.  Disappointed as she was Makoto, along with the others, wished Usagi luck in her mission with Naomi.

The two zoid pilots were doing a good job of tracking down the pair of Sinkers.  Usagi was surprised at how well Naomi was able to keep up with Selene.  The Lunar Cat was traveling at a fairly good speed and it took all Naomi had to keep up with her.  The stories about Naomi's skills with a Gunsniper were being proven right before the female pilot's eyes.

Usagi and Naomi were soon joined by a jeep carrying Bit and Brad.  In Bit's hands was a large rifle that could take out a zoid.  The weapon was currently being aimed in the direction of the Sinkers.  After a couple really good shots Bit found himself in an all too familiar position where the zoid survived the attack.  Usagi saw the zoids still standing and turned to face one of the zoids.  Naomi had also seen the misplaced shots and took on the remaining zoid.

"I'll handle the blue Sinker.  You seem to be doing pretty well with the yellow one.  Don't worry about the authorities I'm pretty certain Minako or Mr. Aino will contact them." Usagi said to Naomi over the radio.

With one well placed shot Naomi proved why she an excellent long-range shooter.  The yellow Sinker was out of commission leaving only the blue one for Usagi to deal with.  The female pilot used Selene's energy disks and took out the blue Sinker.  As she did a police wagon came onto the scene.

"You in the Sinkers come out with your hands up." The officer said over the loud speaker on the wagon.

The two gang members did as they were told and got out of the Sinkers.  The pair of officers on the scene were quite surprised to see who they were arresting.  The zoid pilots were high ranking members in the Stingrays and wanted on several counts of vandalism.  The policemen cuffed the gang members and put them into the police wagon.  Two more Stingrays were off the streets.

"We've been after Keshon and Jubon for some time.  Thanks to the four of you we can finally put them where they belong." The officer said to the quartet.

"We were only doing what had to be done.  Besides we couldn't let them ruin a friend's shop for no reason." Usagi replied.

"Usagi's right we did what had to be done." Bit added.

"The Kinsei police thank you for what you've done." The officer said before taking the gang members to the station.

With the situation over with Naomi could return her attention to preparing for the Battle Royale the next day.  Bit and Brad could also prepare for their next battle and help the Doc put the finishing touches on Leena's Gunsniper.  Brad also had some work of his own to do before the next day.  The four zoid pilots then headed back to the Aino Gunsniper shop.

********

Leena's Gunsniper wasn't quite ready for the Battle Royale the next day.  The new zoid needed to have a stabilizing unit as well as the zoid computer installed on it.  In order to save money on labor costs Dr. Toros only paid for parts and not installation.  He was going to have to install the new system himself.  The incident in town had the Blitz team a bit behind schedule with their preparations for the Battle Royale.

While Leena's zoid was being worked on Brad installed a new fifty millimeter double barrel rifle on the Command Wolf.  The new rifle would add a lot of firepower to the zoid something Brad needed.  And with the earnings Brad received from the last battle with Harry Champ and the battle against the Elephander he was finally able to afford the new rifle for the Command Wolf.

As Brad made the final adjustments to the rifle the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from behind him.  Turning in the direction of the sound Brad saw Naomi standing behind him.  Naomi looked at the rifle on the Command Wolf and noticed the change.

"I see you finally got around to increasing your firepower Brad." Naomi commented to him.

"Yeah I was finally able to get enough money to buy the new rifle.  This rifle will be a welcome change to the Command Wolf." Brad replied.

"That's what I like about you Brad you know true firepower doesn't come from a bunch of fancy add-ons to your zoid." Naomi said.

As Naomi made her comment to Brad Leena walked into the hanger of the Hovercargo.  The female member of the Blitz team had heard Naomi's comment and wanted to add her own two cents on the situation.

"My zoid has plenty of firepower.  I'll bet you I do better than you in the Battle Royal tomorrow." Leena said.

"My Gunsniper will blow yours away." Naomi commented in a way that accepted the challenge.

Brad looked at Leena wondering just what she had gotten herself into.  The younger pilot had a tendency to rush into things without thinking.  Leena never thought about the consequences of her actions or that what she did could be wrong.  All she thought about was what she could do to further her own gains.  And if things didn't go her way Leena got mad.  It was okay in battle but not in life.

********

The leader of the Sand Stingray gang, a guy known as McNair, was not a happy camper.  Members of the gang had reported that Keeshon and Jubon had been taken down and arrested by authorities in Kinsei.  Mc Nair knew who one of the pilots involved in the battle was from the description of the zoid.  The red Gunsniper Naomi Fluegle used was pretty unique.  And her fame as the Red Comet was widely known.  But the other zoid the contacts saw was one no one had ever heard of before.  That however didn't matter for one way or another McNair was going to have his revenge on Naomi and her mysterious companion.

"So Naomi Fluegle thinks she can go up against the Sand Stingrays and live to tell about it.  She'll soon find out that no one messes with the Sand Stingray gang." McNair said.

"What do you plan to do about it?" one member wondered.

"Tonight we're going to find the Red Comet and her companion and get them out of the picture for good.  We'll have our revenge for what happened to Keeshon and Jubon." McNair told him.

********

Usagi and the others had finished helping Minako and her father clean up the front shop of the dealership.  The girls had swept up the glass while Minako and Ryoku nailed large boards where the windows once were.  The work went a bit a bit slow at the beginning because Minako and her father spent almost ten minutes explaining to Ami how it was perfectly natural to keep the dealership open even with the boarded up windows.

"But they damaged your business.  Shouldn't you wait until the windows are replaced before opening the dealership?" Ami had argued.

"That would be letting the Stingrays win.  Everyone in town rebuilds and returns to a normal way of living.  They don't let it run their lives.  That's the way my dad is." Minako explained.

"Minako's right you can't let the bandits and petty thugs run your life." Makoto said surprising the others, "You live life as if they don't exist yet you remember their victims."

Usagi was proud of Makoto.  It took a lot of guts to open up like that when you didn't trust people very much.  And in Mankato's case she had found someone who knew some of what she had gone through in her younger days.  Both girls shared similar backgrounds growing up.

Makoto's sudden desire to add to the conversation had Usagi hoping the tall brunette was ready to open up and allow a true friend into her life once more.  The lone wolf of the group had gone without friends for a long time.  For the longest time all Makoto could think about was the attack that took her parents' lives.  And all she wanted to do was get back at the gang responsible.

With the argument quelled the group could get back to the task at hand and fix the shop.  And when they had finished the girls began discussing the Sand Stingrays with Luna and Artimes back at the White Moon.  Usagi didn't want the cats left out of an important meeting that could lead to possible action on their part.

"So Minako what else can you tell us about the Sand Stingray gang." Usagi said getting the meeting started.

"Like I said before they're a bunch of punks.  But the one thing they have going for them is numbers.  The two you and Naomi dealt with are only a small part of their entire force.  The thing is no one outside the police force has tried to do anything because they're afraid the Stingrays will come after them.  They're fiercely loyal to their members and will do whatever it takes to avenge them.  Everyone would rather see the police handle that." Minako explained.

"That's the way the people in my village acted whenever the Desert Alcovalitos came to the village.  My father couldn't take it anymore and stood up to them.  It cost both him and my mother their lives as a result.  If those things are anything like the Alcovalitos then your friend Naomi could be in serious trouble.  That is if they know who she is." Makoto said mentioning her parents' death for the first time.

"Naomi's reputation as the Red Comet is widely known and so is her red Gunsniper.  More so than Usagi and Selene.  If they go after anyone it will be her.  And that has me worried." Minako replied voicing her concern.

Usagi could feel the strong mix of emotions in the room.  There was fear and worry anger and hatred.  Each of her new teammates was letting off their feelings so strongly the young empathy had to do everything she could to stop from being overwhelmed by the emotions.  And one look over at Luna and Artimes and the blonde saw they could smell the strong emotions in the room.  The hair on the tails of the two cats was standing on end making them look twice their size.

"I think we'll all feel better if someone finds Naomi and offers to stand watch tonight." Usagi suggested in a tone of voice that could always calm anyone.

The girls all agreed Usagi was right.  They would feel better if someone stood watch over Naomi and her Gustav that night.  The worry so clearly written on Minako's face seemed to fade away knowing her friend would be kept safe for the night.  Minako respected Naomi and hated to see anything bad happen to her.  Loosing a zoid battle was one thing but this was no zoid battle this was real life where there were no command system freezes.  Someone might actually get seriously hurt or die.

********

Usagi and Ami had volunteered to stand watch over Naomi's Gustav that night.  They had chosen the Snow Bear to accompany the Lunar Cat because of its advanced radar and scanning system.  Ami would be a valuable asset during a battle because she was a quick thinker on her feet.  Her tactical know how combined with her amazing genius made Ami a great strategist something needed during a battle.  And if her skill on the battlefield was anything like her skill with a computer Ami would make a fine zoid warrior.

The girls had decided against telling Naomi their plans and found a spot on a ridge that overlooked her camp.  Usagi, Ami, and the two cats watched as Naomi prepared a simple can of instant miso soup over a portable camping stove.  The girls, like Naomi, were used to camping out and eating canned foods and began preparing their own dinner of prepackaged meals where all you needed to do was add hot water.  Luna and Artimes were each given a can of sardines to eat instead of the usual tuna.

When dinner was over with Ami pulled out her micro computer and set it to interface with the radar on the Snow Bear.  Usagi, meanwhile, was watching Naomi with the same dedication she used when watching the Backdraft.  The young zoid pilot missed the Backdraft activity and began wondering why they were so silent as of late.  It puzzled her but she out it on the back burner for the time being.  Usagi had more important things to worry about.

Usagi had noticed the spot Naomi had chosen for her camp was not too far from where the Hovercargo had stopped for the night.  The female zoid pilot had remembered Brad and Naomi both mention taking part in the upcoming Battle Royale.  Usagi figured Naomi was traveling with the Blitz team to the location of the Battle Royale.  And when Usagi remembered Bit and Brad's involvement in the capture of the Stingray members there was a possibility they could be targeted as well.

********

Naomi had just finished dinner when she heard the sound of the coming zoids.  Looking off in the distance Naomi saw a large number of multicolored Sinkers headed straight for her.  Breaking camp as fast as she could Naomi shoved her things into the back of her Gustav and headed towards the Blitz team and the Hovercargo.

As Naomi headed for the Hovercargo she saw another group of Sinkers heading for the Hovercargo.  The second group of Sinkers began to fire upon the Hovercargo while the first began attacking Naomi's Gustav.  Naomi stopped the Gustav and quickly mobilized her Gunsniper preparing to take on the Sand Stingray gang alone.

"Why does this have to happen now?" Naomi groaned.

********

The Blitz team was in the middle of dinner when the Sand Stingrays began attacking the Hovercargo.  The entire Hovercargo shook when the shells exploded just mere feet from it.  The entire dinner table tilted and the plates, glasses, and food on top slid off the table shattering on the floor.

"We're under attack, mobilize the zoids and hurry." The Doc said.

"Right." Bit and Brad replied.

"But my Gunsniper isn't ready yet dad." Leena told him.

"Then you and Jamie will have to man the cannons.  Bit you back them up in the Liger." Doc Toros said.

"If it's the other members of that gang then there's a good chance they'll go after Naomi as well.  I'll go check on her." Brad offered.

With that the Blitz team headed off to deal with the attackers while the Doc went back to the hanger to finish installing the stabilizing system on Leena's Gunsniper.  They needed every zoid out there to deal with the attackers and the sooner the Doc could finish the Gunsniper the better.

********

Usagi had felt the familiar twinge at the back of her head telling her something was wrong.  Selene had detected the oncoming zoids and told her they were on their way.  The blonde pilot turned to her feline companions and gave them a look they knew all too well.  Luna and Artimes headed straight for Selene and prepared to move out once more.

"Ami we've got trouble coming." Usagi said to the blue haired pilot.

Ami quickly checked the radar images from the Snow Bear and saw two fairly good sized groups of Sinkers heading towards the Gustav and the Hovercargo.  Something was about to happen.

"There's two groups of Sinkers numbering about twenty-five each headed for Naomi and the Hovercargo." Ami said as she headed for her zoid.

"Minako was right.  The Sand Stingrays are out to get Naomi and the Blitz team.  We're going to need backup with this one.  There's no way we can take on all fifty at once." Usagi replied from Selene's cockpit.

"I'll send a message and have Rei and Makoto come help us out while Minako contacts the local authorities." Ami offered.

While Ami got in touch with the White Moon the pair of zoid pilots followed Naomi and the stingrays that were after her.

********

Back at the Hovercargo Leena and Jamie tried holding off the Stingrays in order to buy Brad and Bit time to prepare their zoids.  As Brad got the Command Wolf onto the catapult Bit took the Liger to the maintenance deck to change to the Jager system.  The increased speed the Jager offered would come in real handy when dealing with the multiple Sinkers.  Once secured to the maintenance deck the CAS was set into action.

"Brad ready to mobilize the Command Wolf." Brad said.

The catapult sent the Command Wolf flying off the deck of the Hovercargo.  Once on the ground the blue wolf zoid headed off to find Naomi and giver her some backup.

"Liger Zero Jager CAS complete." The voice of the Doc boomed over the intercom of the Hovercargo.

With the CAS complete and the Command Wolf on its way the Liger was moved into position on the launch deck.  Once in the catapult the Liger was ready to join the action.

"Alright, go Jager!" Bit called out as the catapult sent the Jager flying from the Hovercargo.

Up in the cannon turrets Leena was having a field day trying to shoot down the Sinkers.

"Eat laser punks!" Leena shouted as she fired her cannon.

Meanwhile Brad in his Command Wolf saw the Stingrays attacking Naomi's Gustav.  He also saw the moonlight shine off the eyes of two zoids.  Brad knew they wouldn't reach Naomi in time at their present speed and went to buy the Red Comet some time to get into her Gunsniper.

"Why does this have to happen now?" he heard Naomi complain.

"Hurry, I'll hold them off while you get into your Gunsniper." Brad said over the Command Wolf's external speakers.

"Thank the gods you showed up when you did Brad." Naomi replied as she climbed into her red Gunsniper.

********

When Usagi saw Brad show up a sigh of relief escaped her mouth.  The sight of the Command Wolf firing upon the Sinkers to allow Naomi time to get into her Gunsniper seemed to ease the mind of the female zoid pilot.  And as Brad continued to hold off the Sinkers Usagi decided to make her presence known and join in the fight.  With a few well placed shots of her energy disks Usagi got the Sinkers to scatter.

"Thought you could use some backup." Usagi said over the radio.

"Boy, are you a welcome sight for sore eyes." Brad replied with a chuckle.

It was at that point that Naomi's Gunsniper was ready to go and jumped off the transport trailer of the Gustav.  The red zoid came up to the Command Wolf and stood side by side with the blue zoid.  Naomi saw the sheer number of the Sinkers headed for them and began to panic.  There were just too many of them for her to handle in the open even with Usagi and Ami helping out.  Seeing some nearby woods Naomi began to formulate a plan.

"We'd be better off if we went to the woods over there." Naomi suggested.

"Good idea you get some cover while I keep them busy.  Ami and I will join up with you in a bit." Usagi said to the others.

The Gunsniper and the Command Wolf then took off for the woods.  Naomi knew she would have a better chance of fighting back if the enemy couldn't see her.  It was the fear of the unexpected that caused Naomi's opponents to mess up and reveal their without even knowing it.  Naomi would then take full advantage of this and take down her opponents with a single shot.  The Sinkers had seen the pair run into the woods and spilt up to go after them.  The leader of the Stingrays had sent a dozen after Naomi and Brad and the remaining dozen after Usagi and Ami.

Naomi found a well hidden spot in the woods to wait out the Stingrays.  Switching to the sniper format Naomi's chair flipped over to a bench position facing the rear of the Gunsniper.  The tail of the zoid hid a long range anti-zoid rifle.  Watching the Sinkers through her sight Naomi fired off four rounds taking down four of the Sinkers.  She then waited for the remaining eight Sinkers to show up in the woods.

********

Usagi and Ami were having a hard time getting a clear shot on the Sinkers that remained behind.  The energy disks were just not finding their mark and that was making Usagi very frustrated.  Ami was trying hard to come up with a strategy that would work against the Stingrays.  Every scenario she ran through her computer just didn't seem to work.  In other words the pair was up a creek without a paddle.

"Ami you have any idea how we can hold off these guys until Rei and Makoto show up?" Usagi asked her teammate over the radio.

"No there's just too many of them and every possible strategy I run through my computer doesn't want to work to our favor." Ami replied.

"Well then we better hope Rei and Makoto get here soon because at this rate it won't be too long before the command system on the Snow Bear and Lunar Cat freeze up." Luna added.

With a small sigh Ami gave up on trying to find a strategy that would work to their advantage and began firing the Snow Bear's ice cannon at the Sinkers.  Like Usagi Ami was having no luck making contact with the Sinkers but the extra shots were keeping the Stingrays from getting any hits in on them.  And as long as the pair still had ammunition they would be able to hold the Stingrays off until Rei and Makoto arrived with the much needed backup.

Come on guys we need you right now, Usagi thought as she sent another shot into the middle of the Sinkers making them scatter.

********

Back at the Hovercargo Bit wasn't faring any better than the others.  The twenty-five sinkers were doing a pretty good job of surrounding the Hovercargo and holding off the Liger.  And if the transformed zoid couldn't get in close then it was ineffective against the enemy.  The modified underbelly cannons Bit had installed onto the Liger had run out of ammunition which left the zoid warrior without any sort of long range attack.  And the sheer number of Sinkers attacking them was making it easy for the Stingrays to actually hit the Liger.

"Man I could sure use some help right about now." Bit said as the Liger was hit by yet another shot from the Sinkers.

The cannons on the Hovercargo fired another round of shells scattering the Sinkers once more.  With the Sinkers temporarily out of the way Bit could regroup and come up with a plan of attack.  Something had to be done in order to stop the Stingrays.  Bit just hoped Leena's zoid would be ready in time to help him.

********

The remaining Sinkers in the woods had scattered and were trying to regroup in order to attack Naomi and Brad once more.  Seeing an opportunity to make a run for it Brad formulated a quick plan.

"Naomi we need to make a run for it before the rest of the Sinkers begin attacking us again." Brad said over the radio.

"No way Brad I'm not running like some coward." Naomi replied.

With that Naomi fired a few more shots allowing Brad time to run for it.  When the last shot was fired Naomi followed Bad out of the woods.  But before she could catch up to him Naomi saw something on a nearby cliff out of the corner of her eye.  Taking the opportunity to take out another Sinker Naomi maneuvered her Gunsniper to the top of the cliff.  Unknown to the Red Comet the Sinker on the cliff belonged to Mc Nair the leader of the Sand Stingrays.

"Alright buddy you're about to be taken out of the game." Naomi commented thinking he would run when she reached the top.

But much to her surprise Mc Nair stood his ground and didn't make a move turning what she thought would be a long ranged fight into a close ranged fight.  Mc Nair was ready to take full advantage of the Gunsniper's weakness in close combat.  Realizing what was happening Naomi began to panic and the moment the Gunsniper hit the top of the cliff she froze.

Seeing the Gunsniper frozen with fear Mc Nair fired a single shot at the red zoid.  However, Brad had seen the frozen zoid and the oncoming shot and knew he had to do something.  Using some quick thinking the zoid warrior jumped in between the Gunsniper and the oncoming blast.  The shot that was meant for Naomi hit the Command Wolf in the side causing a command system freeze up and leaving Brad with injuries to his abdominal section.  The zoid pilot fell out of the Command Wolf in pain and when Naomi saw the injured Brad she jumped out of her Gunsniper to help her fellow zoid warrior.

********

Usagi and Ami had seen what had happened to Naomi and Brad on the cliff.  The pair of young pilots watched in stunned silence as the single shot from the silver Sinker had taken out the Command Wolf.  Usagi had thought the shot had caused a simple system freeze but she got the shock of a lifetime when the cockpit canopy on the Command Wolf opened and Brad fell out close to blacking out and in serious pain.  Watching the scene unfold before them the girls and their feline companions saw Naomi leap put of her Gunsniper and rush to Brad's side.

"Looks like Brad's going to be alright with Naomi taking care of him.  Besides we have more important things to take care of." Usagi said to the others.

"I just hope Rei and Makoto get here soon.  I don't think we'll be able to handle all of them by ourselves." Ami replied.

"Well I hope Brad's teammates are faring better than we are." Luna commented.

"Me too Luna, me too." Usagi added.

********

Rei and Makoto were ready to go within moments of getting the call from Ami to help them deal with the Stingrays.  Makoto had wanted to take on the Stingrays ever since Juban and Keshon tore through Kinsei in their Sinkers.  Makoto couldn't stand to see any group of zoid pilots taking advantage of an innocent town full of people.  Ever since leaving Mokusei Makoto had been tracking down the various gangs that roamed the Zi countryside in hopes of coming across the Desert Alcovalito gang so she could get her revenge.  Now the young zoid pilot would have the chance to take out another gang of bandits taking advantage of innocent people.

Rei on the other hand knew they had to do the right thing and stop the Stingrays from hurting her new friends.  The gang couldn't be allowed to continue to destroy Kinsei City and Rei was willing to help stop them from causing any more trouble.  There wasn't any underlying reason why Rei wanted to help she just knew it was the right thing to do.  And it was for that reason she went with Makoto to help Usagi and Ami with the Stingrays.

By the time the pair had reached the area where Usagi and Ami were they saw twenty different Sinkers regrouping to go after a downed Command Wolf and a very familiar looking red Gunsniper.  Rei and Makoto knew they had to do something before Naomi and her companion as well as Usagi and Ami were hurt by the firepower from the Sinkers.

"Anyone order some extra firepower." Rei called over the radio.

"Rei, Makoto thank the goddess you're here." Ami replied.

"We don't have much time guys.  Brad's been hit and I think Naomi may be next.  We've got twenty-one Sinkers here and at least another twenty-five going after the Blitz team's Hovercargo.  We need to take out as many of the Sinkers as possible." Usagi informed the late arrivals.

"Alright finally some real action." Makoto commented.

The quartet of zoid pilots then headed off to do battle with the Sinkers.

********

Leena was getting frustrated.  She and Jamie were able to hold off the Sinkers but they just weren't able to stop them all together.  The work on the new Gunsniper continued as the pair tried to help Bit fend off the twenty-five Stingrays.  Some of the shots finally began connecting reducing their numbers to just a little over twenty and the few Bit had taken out left them with only fifteen.  It was beginning to look as though they wouldn't have enough ammunition left to take out the last of the Stingrays.

"If this keeps up we'll run out of shells real fast." Jamie observed.

"I just hope dad finishes my Gunsniper soon." Leena replied.

Leena's prayers were answered when she heard her father's voice come over the Hovercargo's intercom system.

"Leena the Gunsniper is ready to go.  Get out there and give Bit some help." The Doc told her.

"Alright finally I can do some real damage to those jerks." Leena commented as she headed to the hanger to mobilize her zoid.

The Gunsniper was soon secured to the catapult and ready to be launched.  The launch door opened as the launch deck lifted and locked into placed.  When the signal was given the Gunsniper went into battle for the first time.

"Launching Gunsniper." The Doc said as the newest zoid in the Blitz team arsenal flew off the catapult to the battlefield below.

"Alright boys get ready because Leena has come to play." Leena commented with a slightly demented laugh.

Once on the battlefield Leena saw the situation before her.  Bit was completely surrounded by the remaining fifteen Sinkers.  Leena knew she had one chance to get all of the Sinkers at once.  The Wild Weasel units would be able take down all of the Sinkers in one shot.

"Bit keep completely still because I don't want to accidentally hit you." Leena warned over the radio to her teammate.

"Hurry it up Leena." Bit replied.

With that Leena used the targeting system on the Gunsniper and locked in on all fifteen of the Sinkers surrounding the Liger.  With one push of a button the full firepower of the Wild Weasel was sent down upon the Sinkers.

"Wild Weasel total assault!" Leena yelled out as the Weasel units fired their shells.

The dust kicked up from the assault covered the Liger as the Sinkers fell all around Bit.  The male member of the Blitz team was thankful the Gunsniper was finally finished and Leena was quite the gung ho zoid warrior.  This was one time her zest for using a lot of ammo was helpful.

"Come on Brad and Naomi might need our help." Bit said.

********

Brad was in pain and it showed every time he tried to move.  He knew he was going to have a few bad bruised ribs but he wasn't certain if any of them were cracked at all.  Naomi had gone into her zoid and pulled out her first aid kit taking out several large bandage wraps.  And as she began wrapping Brad's torso the female zoid warrior initiated some small talk with her male counterpart.

"You know I'll never be able to figure you out Brad.  You didn't have to help me out and yet you did.  Why?" Naomi said.

"We may not have gotten off to a good start but I'll help out any respectable zoid warrior whenever they're in trouble.  Besides guys like this give a bad name to good zoid pilots and that's something I don't like to see." Brad replied.

"Thank Brad." Naomi said as she finished wrapping the last bandage.

With the last bandage set the pair of zoid pilots were about to head back to the Gunsniper when the last of the Stingrays began to surround them and open fire.  Naomi was startled by the gunfire and jumped into Brad's arms as the dust was kicked up around them.  Looking up Naomi saw four larger zoids headed towards them.  Two of them were on the ground while the other two were in the air.  One zoid was easily recognized by the two pilots but the other three were unlike anything they had ever seen.  It looked to the pair that the Lunar Cat had brought some friends with her.

The two airborne zoids swept in low and fired upon the Sinkers taking out a number of zoids.  The Lunar Cat then followed up by firing a few blasts with her energy disks connecting to a few more zoids.  The last of the quartet came in close to Naomi and Brad and deployed a mist shielding them from the Sinkers before taking out a zoid of its own.  When the slightly cool mist was gone five of the twenty zoids were out for the count.  The remaining fifteen regrouped and began to advance on the bear like zoid and the two pilots it was protecting.  But before the other three zoids could make their move a familiar almost demented voice came over the open channel.

"Oh boys," Leena began sweetly, "try this on for size!"

With another almost demented laugh Leena targeted the remaining Sinkers and fired her Wild Weasel units for another total assault.  The massive firepower rained down on the area kicking up a lot of dust.  Once again Naomi buried herself in Brad's chest to avoid being hit by the shells.  Looking up at the Gunsniper and Liger Brad voiced his opinion on Leena's attack.

"Thanks a lot Leena you could have hit your teammates you know." Brad yelled at her.

With a chuckle Naomi admitted she was wrong about the attachments Leena had added to her Gunsniper.  The firepower it carried actually did some good.

"You know Leena I have to admit I was wrong about your Gunsniper.  You really came through today." Naomi said.

********

Twenty minutes after the incident with the Stingrays had ended Minako and a group of police from Kinsei in Gojulas came to arrest the Stingrays.  The five friends and the pair of cats were satisfied that Stingrays wouldn't have the chance to rampage through the streets of Kinsei again.  Usagi could tell looking over at Makoto that the young zoid pilot felt a sense of satisfaction from seeing the police slap the cuffs on the wrists of the leaders of the Stingrays.

"Those guys won't be out of prison for a long time." Makoto said.

Off to one side Naomi was talking with Brad and Leena.

"So I'll see you guys at the Battle Royale tomorrow?" Naomi said to the two members of the Blitz team.

"Looks like we won't be making it after all.  Brad's too hurt and well I ran out of ammo." Leena replied to her.

As the last of the Stingrays were booked by the police Usagi and Bit shared a final conversation with each other before they had to go their separate ways.

"So I guess you're gonna have to leave again." Bit said.

"Yeah it's just too bad that we always meet up under these types of circumstances.  I just wish we could spend some real time together." Usagi replied.

"I know what you mean Usagi.  Ever since we first met and spent that time together in the hanger I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." Bit told her.

Looking at the pilot of the Liger Usagi began to wonder of she was falling for the sandy haired pilot.  There was something about Bit Cloud she liked.

"Bit come on we need to get back to the Hovercargo before dad and Jamie begin to worry about us." Leena called out cutting into the conversation.

"Come on Usagi we need to get back to my parent's place if we're going to be able to pull out in the morning." Minako said mirroring the sentiment.

"Well I guess this is goodbye." Usagi said.

"Yeah until we meet again that is." Bit replied before they went their separate ways.

********

Wow I didn't think I would ever get this episode finished.  Thank you to all my patient readers for waiting, you know who you are.  And a big thanks to Zoids 35 for another great summary of another great episode.  Hey I'll admit it I sometimes use them as a starting point for certain episodes.  I have a web site now so I wasn't totally inactive during my bought with writer's block.  So I recommend checking it out.  It's interesting and has links to a couple of good features like message boards and my own web radio station.  Now that I have gotten over my block more episodes will be coming out soon.  I'm working on the next one as we speak.

The big thing in this episode was a look into how Makoto's past affected her as well as a look into where Minako grew up.  And as you can see it looks like there's going to be a relationship between Bit and Usagi.  There's something each pilot wants to figure out about the other one and once they do you'll see quote the relationship develop.  Who knows they just might share a kiss.

So what's up next?  It's the episode may of you have requested the return of the Sol team and Leon Toros.  And as Usagi and the gang pay the Flying Castle a visit the Sol team battles Leon.  But when their latest victory becomes his latest loss it's time for a new zoid.  Just what will he find in the Valley of Shadows and how will Usagi and the girls be able to help Leena's brother?  Find out when Leon's story to Bit comes to life in episode six: Leon and Red Blade Liger


End file.
